Glossary
Streisand effect
When an attempt to suppress information produces exactly the opposite outcome — drawing massive attention to what someone wanted hidden.
Named after Barbra Streisand's 2003 lawsuit demanding the removal of an aerial photo of her Malibu home from an environmental survey. The photo had been viewed six times — including twice by her lawyers. The lawsuit drew over 400,000 views in a month. The lesson: legal or PR efforts to suppress information online routinely backfire because they create newsworthy controversy that wouldn't otherwise exist. Knowing about the Streisand effect doesn't always prevent it — defendants frequently file takedown demands they end up regretting. See also: SLAPP, chilling effect.
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