operaguy posted at 3:57PM Thu, 27 December 2018 - #4342587

Suggest digging a little deeper than Wikipedia and a randomly selected google search...

Oxford Reference (OED-based): Click for Oxford Reference article on censorship This clearly observes that censorship requires government establishment and enforcement. It even notes that "self-censorship" means "I got a threat from government to punish me if I don't take action. They have a the power to fine me or jail me or confiscate my license. So, I'll self-censor before they do so."

Censorship requires government legal enforcement.

I concede that the term "censoring" has drifted (or been pushed) from its essential definition of 'state control' into a slovenly 'slang' usage of "the owner of that thing is mean, and won't let me do what I want to do. I don't care if he thinks he owns it, I wanna and that's my right. He's censoring my rights." That is the pity, not the pride.

::::: Opera :::::

Hell, we can take your own reference since you doubt mine...

1. Any regime or context in which the content of what is publically expressed, exhibited, published, broadcast, or otherwise distributed is regulated or in which the circulation of information is controlled. The official grounds for such control at a national level are variously** political (e.g. national security), moral** (e.g. likelihood of causing offence or moral harm, especially in relation to issues of obscenity),** social** (e.g. whether violent content might have harmful effects on behaviour), or** religious** (e.g. blasphemy, heresy). Some rulings may be merely to avoid embarrassment (especially for governments).

2. A regulatory system for vetting, editing, and prohibiting particular forms of public expression, presided over by a censor: an official given a mandate by a governmental, legislative, or commercial body to review specific kinds of material according to pre-defined criteria. Criteria relating to public attitudes—notably on issues of ‘taste and decency’—can quickly become out-of-step.

Generally speaking, all it usually takes is for someone wishing to control what others hear, see or think. Your own cititation notes that private, religious and commercial entities also practice forms of censorship. As far as I know, the US Government is the only political governing body on the planet, that expressly forbids itself from the open practice.

Here's another cititation from the ACLU:

What Is Censorship? | American Civil Liberties Union https://www.aclu.org/other/what-censorship Censorship can be carried out by the government as well as private pressure groups. ... their actions are protected by the First Amendment, although they can become ... Pacifica, the Court ruled that the government could require radio and ...