Censorship
Annals of Communications
How Elon Musk Could Affect the 2024 Election
The personal politics of Twitter’s owner wouldn’t matter so much if he hadn’t also demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for pettiness.
Our Columnists
Art Is Now a Crime in Russia
The arrests of a director and a playwright in Moscow signal a new chapter in the Putin regime’s eradication of dissent.
Cultural Comment
The Folly of Censoring “Joyland,” a Sublime Film About Family
A new movie from the director Saim Sadiq, which depicts queer love against the backdrop of a Pakistani household, feels as familiar as our families are to us.
Our Columnists
How Putin Criminalized Journalism in Russia
The case of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter being held in Moscow on espionage charges, is only the most recent example of the Kremlin’s crackdown on reporters.
The Front Row
“Suzhou River,” Reviewed: Gangland Romance as Political Critique
The Chinese filmmaker Lou Ye’s daring drama, from 2000, eludes censorship by means of intricate storytelling.
Letter from the South
Why Some Florida Schools Are Removing Books from Their Libraries
“If I weren’t living through it, I wouldn’t believe it’s happening,” one parent, who has worked as a substitute teacher, said.
The Political Scene
What the Twitter Files Reveal About Free Speech and Social Media
The company’s internal documents were supposed to prove a progressive agenda—mostly, they have exposed the limitations of the platform and its new owner.
Daily Comment
How Dissent Grows in China
The protests of recent weeks carry an echo, and a warning, from the Maoist era.
Under Review
When Hollywood Met China
Erich Schwartzel’s “Red Carpet” details the hazardous courtship of American entertainment companies and the Chinese government.
News Desk
The Censorship Machine Erasing China’s Feminist Movement
This summer, a viral video of a group of women being viciously attacked in a restaurant sparked national outrage. The response has been quashed.
News Desk
How China’s Response to COVID-19 Set the Stage for a Worldwide Wave of Censorship
Authoritarian governments in eighty nations have enacted restrictions on free speech and political expression that were falsely described as public-health measures.
News Desk
Why Do So Many Russians Say They Support the War in Ukraine?
In a climate of wartime censorship, the mere expression of an unsanctioned thought begins to feel like a protest action.
Annals of Communications
The Day Foreign Journalists Felt Forced to Leave Moscow
After a meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry, dozens of outlets moved their reporters out of the country.
Q. & A.
Classical Music’s Iron Curtain
Two musicologists discuss national identity in the performing arts and the politics of blacklisting sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Annals of Communications
Can Gettr Become the Online Gathering Place for Trump’s G.O.P.?
With Big Tech cracking down on COVID-19 and election misinformation, sites with more permissive posting rules are courting prominent figures on the right.
The Sporting Scene
Peng Shuai and the High Stakes of Business in China
The Women’s Tennis Association has taken an unusually bold—and costly—stance on behalf of the tennis star against the state that censored her.
Daily Comment
Why Beijing Shut Down Hong Kong’s Leading Pro-Democracy Newspaper
The fearlessness and irreverence of Apple Daily was highly prized in a society tilting toward authoritarian dominion.
The Political Scene Podcast
Clubhouse Opens a Window for Free Expression in China
Until recently, Chinese citizens could only speak privately about political taboos, such as the detention of Uighurs; suddenly, an app has offered them a chance to talk out loud and honestly.
Our Columnists
After a Rigged Election, Belarus Crushes Protests Amid an Information Blackout
Alexander Lukashenka is claiming his sixth term, and his strongest opponent has fled the country.
Letter from Silicon Valley
Trump, Twitter, Facebook, and the Future of Online Speech
The debate over censorship and Section 230 is thorny, contentious, and, above all, outdated.