Censorship of women's health terms on social media has huge consequences – it needs to stop

Online platforms provide a pivotal space for discussions around women’s health – discussions that de-stigmatise previously ‘taboo’ topics that have long been shrouded in shame. Yet, as important as these discussions are, it’s recently come to light that important women’s health information is being blocked by social media giants including Instagram and Facebook.

 Covid Censorship Proved to Be Deadly

Government and social-media companies colluded to stifle dissenters who turned out to be right.

 Mark Zuckerberg’s letter about Facebook censorship is not what it seems

This is not a win for free speech. It’s a political grenade.

 The Future of Censorship Is AI-Generated

Ironically the fear of GenAI flooding society with “harmful” content could also take another dystopian turn. One where the guardrails erected to keep the most widely used GenAI-systems from generating harm turn them into instruments of hiding information, enforcing conformity, and automatically inserting pervasive, yet opaque, bias.

Global attack on freedom of expression is having a dangerous impact on public health crisis

“Throughout the pandemic, governments have launched an unprecedented attack on freedom of expression, severely curtailing peoples’ rights. Communication channels have been targeted, social media has been censored, and media outlets have been closed down – having a dire impact of the public’s ability to access vital information about how to deal with Covid-19,” said Amnesty International’s senior director for research advocacy and policy, Rajat Khosla.

California Loses on Medical Censorship

A federal judge blocks a law that punishes doctors for ‘misinformation.’

Censorship and the Right to Information during the Pandemic

This webcast will examine global concerns regarding governmental repression of public health information related to the pandemic through use of criminal law and other means.

Facebook has banned awareness posts that include the words ‘period,’ ‘vulva’ and ‘clitoris’ for being too sexual

Remind me again of the year. It’s 2023, right? Yet here we are talking about women's health information being shadow-banned and the reported censorship of words such as “period” and “vulva.” I can’t be the only one who’s disappointed. Bodyform has made headlines on account of their recent social media posts being taken down. The women’s hygiene company is currently promoting its “40 Words You Can't Say” campaign, which aims to “un-censor the language around women+’s bodies.”

How censoring words like fetus, transgender, and evidence-based could Impact public health

Healthcare professionals have raised concerns about the potential negative effects of eliminating words from the conversation. Will they continue to speak out and demand transparency from the CDC and other governmental health agencies? Will their advocacy effectively protect all populations, even the most vulnerable among us?

In Washington Speak, Censorship Is Called “Transparency”

Federal agencies have been subtly controlling the flow of scientific information to the press, even as their media policies preach openness.

Is Spreading Medical Misinformation a Doctor’s Free Speech Right?

Two lawsuits in California have pre-emptively challenged a new law that would punish doctors for misleading patients about Covid-19.

Prosocial motives underlie scientific censorship by scientists: A perspective and research agenda

Science is among humanity’s greatest achievements, yet scientific censorship is rarely studied empirically. We explore the social, psychological, and institutional causes and consequences of scientific censorship (defined as actions aimed at obstructing particular scientific ideas from reaching an audience for reasons other than low scientific quality).

Public Health Is Political

If you fret that experts might lose credibility with conservatives, remember that the medical system lost it long ago with black Americans.

Science, Censorship, and Public Health

All of us in the scientific community, either individually or through our professional societies, must be prepared to make a strong and well-documented case for the importance of the free flow of information if such a defense becomes necessary. It is no longer sufficient to tell the public: “Trust us, we know what is good for you.” We need to be able to explain why our position is in the public interest.

What It’s Like to Be a Frontline Doctor and Speak Up Amid Growing Censorship in India

Over the last few months, frontline doctors fighting the coronavirus across the world have taken on various roles—from that of soldiers risking their lives as they battle the deadly COVID-19 to protect their countries, to acting as whistleblowers to highlight our failing public health mechanisms. But if recent events have shown us anything, it’s that despite the great emphasis placed on protecting our healthcare professionals from being exposed to coronavirus, it’s the people and the system who are really failing them.

Zuckerberg says the White House pressured Facebook to ‘censor’ some COVID-19 content during the pandemic

The letter is the latest repudiation by Zuckerberg of efforts to target misinformation around the coronavirus pandemic during and after the 2020 presidential election, particularly as allegations have emerged that some posts were deleted or restricted wrongly.