online censorship: a warning from SWrs

They—whether it's the government officials or the billionaire tech moguls—are continuously practicing the censorship playbook, targeting easy victims. Society has unfortunately normalized this disdain for marginalized voices, and we find ourselves devoid of substantial protections on the internet. Once they have effectively perfected their methods of censorship with us, it is only a matter of time before they set their sights on the next vulnerable group. For years, sex worker (SWr) voices and their presence have been systematically silenced across numerous platforms, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. We have been grappling with online censorship for many years, compelled to navigate through a maze of shifting guidelines in an attempt to avoid being removed or banned. When we say that we are the “canaries in the mine,” this is precisely the alarming reality we are referring to. Have you ever reflected on how some platforms seem to be leaning increasingly biased? For example, take Twitter and Meta, among others. This may seem like an outlandish claim, as if I were wearing a tinfoil hat, yet based on my personal experiences with censorship as a SWr, I firmly believe that there is a deliberate, orchestrated strategy behind these actions. I harbor genuine fears for the future of the internet in the western hemisphere, as it becomes increasingly clear that those in power are striving to exert control over the information we consume online. The next time you find yourself dismissing the thought that “the government wouldn’t do that,” remember that they not only could but already have been doing just that. Whatever injustices they can perpetrate against marginalized communities will inevitably find its way to the broader public, and that is undoubtedly something to be concerned about.