Not surprisingly, the term was named after singer Barbra Streisand.
But in this case, she would have been better off just leaving things alone.
So, what causes this effect to play out as it does?
Wikimedia Commons
Barbra Streisand’s concern about her privacy was understandable…
However, the tool she chose to manage thisfiling a lawsuitwas not only ineffective but actually worsened the situation.
Moreover, the effects can be even more insidious.
Factors Contributing to the Streisand Effect
There are several factors that contribute to the Streisand Effect.
Online communities and social media platforms encourage the rapid spread of content and enable information to go viral.
The social validation and reinforcement from peers further encourage individuals to participate in spreading the censored content.
For individuals, the attention can lead to increased scrutiny.
This phenomenon can significantly damage reputations meticulously built over the years, observes Stewart.
For individuals, this can affect personal and professional relationships, career prospects, and public perception.
For organizations, the losses can be great as well.
The Streisand Effect can severely damage brand reputation and erodetrustwith consumers and stakeholders, says Dober.
This can lead to a loss of customer loyalty, decreased sales, and a tarnished public image.
Additionally, efforts to suppress information can result in increased media scrutiny and regulatory attention."
Dober adds that it can take a long time to recover one’s reputation from this sort of error.
For society as a whole, the Streisand Effect has implications for free speech.
Strategies to Mitigate the Streisand Effect
There are many strategies to mitigate or avoid the Streisand Effect.
The internet andsocial mediais a constantly evolving place, and information is what it runs on.
Jansen SC, Martin B.The Streisand effect and censorship backfire.International Journal of Communication.
Conradt S.How Barbra Streisand Inspired the “Streisand Effect.
