Critical evaluation of censorship during the Covid-19 pandemic

Censorship is as old as the history of the press. While the degree of censorship differs from one place to another, no society can be said to be totally independent of control. With the potential of being misused by certain elements and to maintain law and order, certain forms of regulations have been imposed from time to time by authorities. There are situations and circumstances where authorities and the media work consistently to fulfil the objectives.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of media being subjected to extreme censorship. Both the institutions collaborate in censoring the press: removing of information, deplatforming of critical voices and rejection of a particular narrative. While the press and the government seem to have good intent and described it as a heroic fight against misinformation, there are media theories that explains the inner intend of censorship. The paper discusses how the anti-establishment narrative got heavily censored which according to media theory is a mean to set certain agenda in the minds of the public.