Streisand effect

The Streisand effect is the phenomenon whereby an attempt to hide, remove, or censor a piece of information has the unintended consequence of publicizing the information more widely, usually facilitated by the Internet. It is an example of psychological reactance, wherein once people are aware something is being kept from them, their motivation to access and spread the information is increased.

It is named after American entertainer Barbra Streisand, whose 2003 attempt to suppress photographs of her residence in Malibu, California, inadvertently drew further public attention to it.

Cases and examples

Recompilation of Streisand effect cases: *

See also

Material

• Burnett, Dean (22 May 2015). “Why government censorship [in no way at all] carries greater risks than benefits”. The Guardian.
• The perils of the Streisand Effect BBC News magazine, July 31, 2014
• Andy Greenberg (May 11, 2007). “The Streisand Effect”. Forbes.