# Chilling effect

Published 2026-09-22. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 2 sources.

The discouragement of legitimate speech or newsgathering caused by fear of legal, financial or physical consequences, even where no formal prohibition exists. Courts and press-freedom organizations cite documented chilling effects, such as sources avoiding contact with reporters, as a measurable harm from surveillance or prosecution threats.

## Sources

1. The Obama Administration and the Press. https://cpj.org/reports/2013/10/obama-and-the-press-us-leaks-surveillance-post-911/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2013-10-10).
2. Judge blocks enforcement of Louisiana's 25-foot buffer zone for police. https://lailluminator.com/2025/01/31/buffer-zone/ (Louisiana Illuminator, 2025-01-31).

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/glossary/chilling-effect. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.