Information Isolation: Censoring the COVID-19 Outbreak | Freedom House
"he pandemic has exacerbated a global clampdown on free expression. In at least 45 of the 65 countries covered by Freedom on the Net, activists, journalists, or ordinary members of the public were arrested or criminally charged for online speech related to COVID-19"
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Authorities justified the arrests through a myriad of laws that criminalize expression deemed to cause panic, instigate violence, spread hate, or insult officials, among other perceived harms
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By passing new laws and arresting individuals for nonviolent speech, leaders attempted to control narratives about the virus’s spread, the government’s performance, and the negative social and economic implications of lockdowns.