Censorship is the control of information by someone who has a monopoly on power.
In democratic systems there is censorship because the laws establish a fundamental freedom: the freedom of the press, that through it, both citizens and the means of communication can express themselves with complete freedom of ideas, provided it is done within the established by law, for example, it is prohibited to advocate violence and terrorism.
The non-existence of censorship in democracies does not prevent some individuals or entities from trying to limit information and even subtly apply certain doses of censorship.
Totalitarian regimes try to control all media information. This control is usually ironclad, as the purpose of a dictatorship is to remain in power and ensure that the population has no access to reality . To impose this type of control, totalitarianism institutes a complex system . On the one hand, they prohibit certain subjects and any kind of criticism of power is unacceptable. Some words and expressions are also prohibited. Journalists or informants must show their work for the censors to determine authorization or not.
Of course, literary and creative activity is also subject to the limitations of censorship. Writers, journalists and creators in general must submit to what the censorship system establishes, because when they don’t, they go to jail or suffer some kind of punishment. For this reason, there are writers and creators who opt for exile, as they prefer freedom and not submission to the dictatorial regime.
In some cases, within dictatorships, ideas are indirectly expressed and concealed, evading the filters of censorship through this type of criticism.
While freedom of expression is a social achievement of democracy, it is necessary to exercise personal responsibility. In fact, the law supports the free expression of ideas, but penalizes infamy and slander.
Finally, it should be taken into account that there is self-censorship, that is, the limitations imposed on oneself at a given moment for some reason.
