Self-censorship and chilling effects
The Free Speech Union has covered 18 stories on this topic. Browse our coverage below.
17 March 2026
Islamophobia definition will cause confusion and lead to self-censorship, says counter-terrorism tsar
The Government's independent reviewer of counter-terrorism law has warned that the new anti-Muslim hostility definition will lead to confusion and self-censorship — with no clear guidance on what it means.
12 June 2025
No laughing matter: Lord Young warns Employment Rights Bill could chill live performance
6 May 2025
Survey reveals widespread self-censorship and intimidation in UK arts sector
10 February 2025
Trade union accused of silencing women by pushing trans-rights agenda
7 February 2025
Silencing dissent across borders: the free speech crisis of transnational repression
11 November 2024
Licence to Silence
10 November 2024
I lived in fear of being cancelled as an Oxbridge student. We all did
6 September 2024
Students scared to speak their minds for fear of being cancelled, say Oxford dons
4 June 2024
Regulatory body for speech therapists chilling free speech around gender ideology and critical race theory
3 May 2024
Britain must fight ‘chilling effect’ of cancel culture, Sunak says
7 April 2024
Feminists accuse pro-trans activists of ‘intimidation’ on Scottish march
1 April 2024
Diversity training “forces workers to hide beliefs” for fear of losing job
21 March 2024
Humza Yousaf’s hate crime law labelled a “chilling” threat to freedom of speech by Rishi Sunak
21 March 2024
Dr Laura Favaro’s research revealed female academics are bullied into silence over their views on gender – now she’s been silenced and ousted too
4 March 2024
Academics self-censoring out of fear of being bullied, says Vice Chancellor
23 February 2024
Government backs bill to prevent wealthy elites using lawfare to gag journalist and silence critics
13 January 2024
The disgusting attempt to silence Joey Barton
Cancel culture ‘forcing people into a corner’ of self-censorship, says Dawn French
