We Removed Your Post: Artistic Expression and the Fight Against Online Censorship

The relationship between censorship and art is as old as art itself. Throughout history, politicians and others in positions of power have attempted to suppress the voices of artists to stop dissent, revolution, and cultural transformation. One modern iteration of artistic censorship presents itself online. Websites and platforms like Instagram and Patreon have quietly removed or hidden artistic content online while claiming that it violates their community standards. The same tactics have been used to silence marginalized people, activists, and educators. This panel will closely examine how art is censored online and how we can use our voices to fight against the censors.