Public Knowledge and Expertise Under Authoritarian Siege: A Defense of Academic Freedom from Digital Journalism Studies

Public Knowledge and Expertise Under Authoritarian Siege: A Defense of Academic Freedom from Digital Journalism Studies external link

Westlund, O., Carlson, M., Hamada, B., Helberger, N., Lecheler, S., Lewis, S.C., Quandt, T., Reese, S.D., Salaverria, R., Saldana, M., Thomson, T.J., Wahl-Jorgensen, K. & Wu, S.

Digital Journalism, vol. 13, iss. : 5, pp: 869–892, 2025

Abstract

This article addresses the growing global assault on academic free-dom—a cornerstone of democratic societies now under increasingthreat from authoritarian regimes. It highlights a global decline inthat freedom since its peak 20 years ago, focusing on the UnitedStates in 2025 to illustrate rapidly escalating academic silencing, evenin a country with well-established democratic freedoms and institu-tions. Drawing on the collective expertise of international scholars indigital journalism studies (DJS)—a field situated at the crossroads ofvulnerable institutions—and informed by anonymous reports fromU.S.-based academics as well as the wider academic literature, thiscommentary examines the impact of political interference, censorship,and self-censorship in academia. It argues that DJS as a field mustdevelop approaches that actively resist authoritarianism and upholdfreedom of expression and inquiry. The commentary concludes witha normative framework for doing this, proposing a three-prongedapproach to defending the larger field, the scholarship within it, andthe wellbeing of individual scholars of digital journalism studies.

Links

academic freedom, academic research, censorship, Freedom of expression

RIS

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Westlund, O.
AU  - Carlson, M.
AU  - Hamada, B.
AU  - Helberger, N.
AU  - Lecheler, S.
AU  - Lewis, S.C.
AU  - Quandt, T.
AU  - Reese, S.D.
AU  - Salaverria, R.
AU  - Saldana, M.
AU  - Thomson, T.J.
AU  - Wahl-Jorgensen, K.
AU  - Wu, S.
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025-07-04
T1  - Public Knowledge and Expertise Under Authoritarian Siege: A Defense of Academic Freedom from Digital Journalism Studies
JO  - Digital Journalism
VL  - 13
IS  - 5
SP  - 869–892
UR  - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2025.2527997
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2025.2527997
AB  - This article addresses the growing global assault on academic free-dom—a cornerstone of democratic societies now under increasingthreat from authoritarian regimes. It highlights a global decline inthat freedom since its peak 20 years ago, focusing on the UnitedStates in 2025 to illustrate rapidly escalating academic silencing, evenin a country with well-established democratic freedoms and institu-tions. Drawing on the collective expertise of international scholars indigital journalism studies (DJS)—a field situated at the crossroads ofvulnerable institutions—and informed by anonymous reports fromU.S.-based academics as well as the wider academic literature, thiscommentary examines the impact of political interference, censorship,and self-censorship in academia. It argues that DJS as a field mustdevelop approaches that actively resist authoritarianism and upholdfreedom of expression and inquiry. The commentary concludes witha normative framework for doing this, proposing a three-prongedapproach to defending the larger field, the scholarship within it, andthe wellbeing of individual scholars of digital journalism studies.
K1  - academic freedom
K1  - academic research
K1  - censorship
K1  - Freedom of expression
ER  -

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Bibtex

Article{nokey,
	title = {Public Knowledge and Expertise Under Authoritarian Siege: A Defense of Academic Freedom from Digital Journalism Studies},
	author = {Westlund, O. and Carlson, M. and Hamada, B. and Helberger, N. and Lecheler, S. and Lewis, S.C. and Quandt, T. and Reese, S.D. and Salaverria, R. and Saldana, M. and Thomson, T.J. and Wahl-Jorgensen, K. and Wu, S.},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2025.2527997},
	year = {2025},
	date = {2025-07-04},
	journal = {Digital Journalism},
	volume = {13},
	issue = {5},
	pages = {869–892},
	abstract = {This article addresses the growing global assault on academic free-dom—a cornerstone of democratic societies now under increasingthreat from authoritarian regimes. It highlights a global decline inthat freedom since its peak 20 years ago, focusing on the UnitedStates in 2025 to illustrate rapidly escalating academic silencing, evenin a country with well-established democratic freedoms and institu-tions. Drawing on the collective expertise of international scholars indigital journalism studies (DJS)—a field situated at the crossroads ofvulnerable institutions—and informed by anonymous reports fromU.S.-based academics as well as the wider academic literature, thiscommentary examines the impact of political interference, censorship,and self-censorship in academia. It argues that DJS as a field mustdevelop approaches that actively resist authoritarianism and upholdfreedom of expression and inquiry. The commentary concludes witha normative framework for doing this, proposing a three-prongedapproach to defending the larger field, the scholarship within it, andthe wellbeing of individual scholars of digital journalism studies.},
	keywords = {academic freedom, academic research, censorship, Freedom of expression},
}

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Improving access to and reuse of research results, publications and data for scientific purposes: Study to evaluate the effects of the EU copyright framework on research and the effects of potential interventions and to identify and present relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation, with a focus on rights and obligations external link

Stančiauskas, V., Kazlauskaitė, D., Dėlkutė-Morgan, R., Ŝiaulytytė, G., Kublashvili, A., Voronecki, T., Senftleben, M., Szkalej, K., Buijs, D., van Eechoud, M., Irion, K., Buri, I., Frigeri, M., Karabuga, E., King, L., Margoni, T., Schirru, L., Stähler, L., Sganga, C., Turan, P., Contardi, M., Signoretta, C. & Edwards, E.

2024

Abstract

The European Commission has published a study aimed at improving access to and reuse of research results, including publications and data for scientific purposes. The study has identified barriers and challenges to access and reuse of publicly funded research results, evaluated effects of the EU copyright framework on research, and identified relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation. On this basis, it presents options for legislative and non-legislative measures to strengthen the free circulation of knowledge and thereby contribute to reinforce the European Research Area

Links

academic research, Copyright

RIS

TY  - RPRT
AU  - Stančiauskas, V.
AU  - Kazlauskaitė, D.
AU  - Dėlkutė-Morgan, R.
AU  - Ŝiaulytytė, G.
AU  - Kublashvili, A.
AU  - Voronecki, T.
AU  - Senftleben, M.
AU  - Szkalej, K.
AU  - Buijs, D.
AU  - van Eechoud, M.
AU  - Irion, K.
AU  - Buri, I.
AU  - Frigeri, M.
AU  - Karabuga, E.
AU  - King, L.
AU  - Margoni, T.
AU  - Schirru, L.
AU  - Stähler, L.
AU  - Sganga, C.
AU  - Turan, P.
AU  - Contardi, M.
AU  - Signoretta, C.
AU  - Edwards, E.
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024-05-16
T1  - Improving access to and reuse of research results, publications and data for scientific purposes: Study to evaluate the effects of the EU copyright framework on research and the effects of potential interventions and to identify and present relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation, with a focus on rights and obligations
UR  - https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/633395
DO  - https://doi.org/10.2777/633395
AB  - The European Commission has published a study aimed at improving access to and reuse of research results, including publications and data for scientific purposes. The study has identified barriers and challenges to access and reuse of publicly funded research results, evaluated effects of the EU copyright framework on research, and identified relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation. On this basis, it presents options for legislative and non-legislative measures to strengthen the free circulation of knowledge and thereby contribute to reinforce the European Research Area
K1  - academic research
K1  - Copyright
ER  -

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Bibtex

Report{nokey,
	title = {Improving access to and reuse of research results, publications and data for scientific purposes: Study to evaluate the effects of the EU copyright framework on research and the effects of potential interventions and to identify and present relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation, with a focus on rights and obligations},
	author = {Stančiauskas, V. and Kazlauskaitė, D. and Dėlkutė-Morgan, R. and Ŝiaulytytė, G. and Kublashvili, A. and Voronecki, T. and Senftleben, M. and Szkalej, K. and Buijs, D. and van Eechoud, M. and Irion, K. and Buri, I. and Frigeri, M. and Karabuga, E. and King, L. and Margoni, T. and Schirru, L. and Stähler, L. and Sganga, C. and Turan, P. and Contardi, M. and Signoretta, C. and Edwards, E.},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.2777/633395},
	year = {2024},
	date = {2024-05-16},
	abstract = {The European Commission has published a study aimed at improving access to and reuse of research results, including publications and data for scientific purposes. The study has identified barriers and challenges to access and reuse of publicly funded research results, evaluated effects of the EU copyright framework on research, and identified relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation. On this basis, it presents options for legislative and non-legislative measures to strengthen the free circulation of knowledge and thereby contribute to reinforce the European Research Area},
	keywords = {academic research, Copyright},
}

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Improving Data Access for Researchers in the Digital Services Act external link

Dergacheva, D., Katzenbach, C., Schwemer, S. & Quintais, J.

2023

Abstract

Joint submission in response to the Call for Evidence on the Delegated Regulation on data access provided for in the Digital Services Act (DSA). Article 40 DSA is a crucial provision to operationalize the regulation’s risk mitigation provisions vis-a-vis very large online platforms (VLOPs) and very large search engines (VLOSEs). In essence, Article 40 DSA enables data access to Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) or the Commission, “vetted researchers” and other researchers, provided certain conditions are met. Our submission is predominantly concerned with the data access for vetted researchers and researchers in relation to VLOPs.

RIS

TY  - BLOG
AU  - Dergacheva, D.
AU  - Katzenbach, C.
AU  - Schwemer, S.
AU  - Quintais, J.
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023-06-01
T1  - Improving Data Access for Researchers in the Digital Services Act
UR  - https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4465846
AB  - Joint submission in response to the Call for Evidence on the Delegated Regulation on data access provided for in the Digital Services Act (DSA). Article 40 DSA is a crucial provision to operationalize the regulation’s risk mitigation provisions vis-a-vis very large online platforms (VLOPs) and very large search engines (VLOSEs). In essence, Article 40 DSA enables data access to Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) or the Commission, “vetted researchers” and other researchers, provided certain conditions are met. Our submission is predominantly concerned with the data access for vetted researchers and researchers in relation to VLOPs.
K1  - academic research
K1  - data access
K1  - Digital Services Act (DSA)
K1  - Online platforms
ER  -

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Is Europe Falling Behind in Data Mining? Copyright’s Impact on Data Mining in Academic Research external link

Guibault, L., Handke, C.W. & Vallbé, J.

2015

Abstract

This empirical paper discusses how copyright affects data mining (DM) by academic researchers. Based on bibliometric data, we show that where DM for academic research requires the express consent of rights holders: (1) DM makes up a significantly lower share of total research output; and (2) stronger rule-of-law is associated with less DM research. To our knowledge, this is the first time that an empirical study bears out a significant negative association between copyright protection and innovation.

RIS

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