Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOriginsExplaining the EffectWhy It HappensReal-Life ExamplesImpact and ImplicationsMitigation Strategies

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Origins

Explaining the Effect

Why It Happens

Real-Life Examples

Impact and Implications

Mitigation Strategies

Close

The Streisand Effect describes a situation in which a person or organization’s attempts to suppress information leads to greater attention to the information than it would have received otherwise. Not surprisingly, the term was named after singer Barbra Streisand.

Before it was known as the “Streisand Effect,” however, there was a long and fascinating history of failed cover-ups that provide an interesting glimpse into the human psyche and our need to get to the bottom of things.

Origins of the Streisand Effect

Mike Masnick, founder of the website Techdirt, coined the term “Streisand Effect” in 2005, after the singer and actress sued the photographer Kenneth Adelman in 2003 for $50 million. Adelman had taken thousands of photos for his online database for the California Coastal Records Project, a resource that provided pictures of California’s coastal erosion to scientists and researchers, and one of these photos happened to show her mansion in Malibu.

Before Streisand sued, the image in question had been downloaded only six times; afterward, it received over a million views and was reprinted countless times.

Streisand ultimately lost the lawsuit and had to pay Adelman’s legal fees.Streisand’s concern for her privacy was not unreasonable—she had been stalked before. But in this case, she would have been better off just leaving things alone.

So, what causes this effect to play out as it does? We’ll explore the causes, provide some real-life examples, and even provide some guidance on how to avoid it in your own life.

Understanding the Streisand Effect

With the Streisand Effect, if someone tries to hide, remove, or censor information, it can backfire. In fact, it can have the unintended consequence of drawing more attention to the thing they are trying to suppress.

As Cara R. Stewart, founder and CEO ofAltalunas International, says, “It’s a classic example of having a legitimate concern but choosing an ineffective or counterproductive way to address it. Barbra Streisand’s concern about her privacy was understandable… However, the tool she chose to manage this—filing a lawsuit—was not only ineffective but actually worsened the situation.”

Moreover, the effects can be even more insidious. “There is also the risk of the erosion of trust in institutions or authorities responsible for the censorship,” says Carly Dober, psychologist and founder ofEnriching Lives Psychology. “When people discover that information is being withheld or manipulated, they may become skeptical of the motives and credibility of the censors. This can foster a culture of distrust and encourage individuals to seek alternative sources of information, which may not always be reliable or accurate."

Factors Contributing to the Streisand Effect

While the Streisand Effect existed prior to Barbra Streisand’s lawsuit in 2003, the internet, and more specifically,social media, has exacerbated the effect even more. Online communities and social media platforms encourage the rapid spread of content and enable information to go viral.

This all combines to create a powerful set of factors that contribute to people’s responses, and makes the Streisand Effect a reality.

Real-Life Examples of the Streisand Effect

While the Streisand Effect existed before it was named, it has become increasingly likely to happen as more and more people have taken to social media. Here are some examples:

Impact and Implications of the Streisand Effect

The Streisand Effect can have long-lasting consequences for individuals and organizations that attempt to suppress information. For individuals, the attention can lead to increased scrutiny.

“This phenomenon can significantly damage reputations meticulously built over the years,” observes Stewart. Dober concurs, adding, “This damage is not easily undone, as the initial act of suppression can create a lasting impression of dishonesty or untrustworthiness. For individuals, this can affect personal and professional relationships, career prospects, and public perception.”

For organizations, the losses can be great as well. “The Streisand Effect can severely damage brand reputation and erodetrustwith consumers and stakeholders,” says Dober. “This can lead to a loss of customer loyalty, decreased sales, and a tarnished public image. Additionally, efforts to suppress information can result in increased media scrutiny and regulatory attention." Dober adds that it can take a long time to recover one’s reputation from this sort of error.

For society as a whole, the Streisand Effect has implications for free speech. Because attempts at censorship often fail, it shows the enduring resilience of freedom of speech in the digital age. “This phenomenon can also lead to greater public awareness and dialogue about important issues, promoting accountability and democratic values,” Dober observes.

“However, the widespread sharing of censored information can also lead to the dissemination of misinformation if [the censored information is] not properly contextualized," she says.

Strategies to Mitigate the Streisand Effect

There are many strategies to mitigate or avoid the Streisand Effect. These include:

Emotional regulationtechniques, such as mindfulness and stress management, can provide a clearer perspective on how to handle sensitive information and public scrutiny more effectively.—CARLY DOBER

Emotional regulationtechniques, such as mindfulness and stress management, can provide a clearer perspective on how to handle sensitive information and public scrutiny more effectively.

—CARLY DOBER

Takeaways

While the Streisand Effect was named after Barbra Streisand, Streisand ended up accepting that she was wrong and even donated funds to a coastal preservation group.For individuals and companies that end up triggering the Streisand Effect because they attempt to hide, remove, or censor information, being transparent and acknowledging mistakes can go a long way toward addressing the issue.

The internet andsocial mediais a constantly evolving place, and information is what it runs on. The Streisand Effect has the opposite effect of what people originally intend, serving to publicize information more widely instead of suppressing it, especially in our digital era. But with some strategies in place, the worst impacts of the Streisand Effect can be mitigated or avoided entirely.

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jansen SC, Martin B.The Streisand effect and censorship backfire.International Journal of Communication. 2015;9:16.Conradt S.How Barbra Streisand Inspired the “Streisand Effect.“Mental Floss. 2023.DMCA Protection & Takedown Services.What is “the Streisand Effect”?2023Kiszla C.‘F— the LAPD’ shirt sells out after police org fails to get it taken down. KTLA. 2024.

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jansen SC, Martin B.The Streisand effect and censorship backfire.International Journal of Communication. 2015;9:16.Conradt S.How Barbra Streisand Inspired the “Streisand Effect.“Mental Floss. 2023.DMCA Protection & Takedown Services.What is “the Streisand Effect”?2023Kiszla C.‘F— the LAPD’ shirt sells out after police org fails to get it taken down. KTLA. 2024.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Jansen SC, Martin B.The Streisand effect and censorship backfire.International Journal of Communication. 2015;9:16.Conradt S.How Barbra Streisand Inspired the “Streisand Effect.“Mental Floss. 2023.DMCA Protection & Takedown Services.What is “the Streisand Effect”?2023Kiszla C.‘F— the LAPD’ shirt sells out after police org fails to get it taken down. KTLA. 2024.

Jansen SC, Martin B.The Streisand effect and censorship backfire.International Journal of Communication. 2015;9:16.

Conradt S.How Barbra Streisand Inspired the “Streisand Effect.“Mental Floss. 2023.

DMCA Protection & Takedown Services.What is “the Streisand Effect”?2023

Kiszla C.‘F— the LAPD’ shirt sells out after police org fails to get it taken down. KTLA. 2024.

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