The phenomenon known as the “Streisand Effect” illustrates how attempts to hide or censor information often produce the opposite result—drawing even more attention to the suppressed content.
Coined in 2005 by Mike Masnick, founder of Techdirt, the term originates from Barbra Streisand’s infamous 2003 lawsuit against photographer Kenneth Adelman.
The Origin of the Streisand Effect
Adelman had taken thousands of photos of the California coastline for a scientific project documenting erosion, one of which included Streisand’s Malibu mansion.
Streisand sued Adelman for $50 million, citing privacy concerns. Ironically, before the lawsuit, the photo had been downloaded only six times; after the lawsuit gained publicity, the image was viewed over a million times.
Streisand ultimately lost the lawsuit and was required to pay Adelman’s legal fees. While her concerns about privacy were legitimate, her method of addressing the issue—legal action—amplified the very exposure she sought to avoid.
Why the Streisand Effect Happens
Cynthia Vinney, PhD, an expert in media psychology published an article in the August 2024 online magazine VeryWellMind.