Erased: Media Erasure and Authoritarianism

In an age where truth is under attack, authoritarian regimes are employing a chilling tactic to silence opposition: erasing independent media. By controlling narratives, they dominate political discourse, shield themselves from accountability and erase the stories that threaten their hold on power.

Join us for an eye-opening discussion with New York Times journalist M. Gessen and Anna Nemzer, journalist, co-founder of the Russian Independent Media Archive (RIMA), and human rights and democracy researcher and advocate Yaqiu Wang as they delve into the alarming rise of media erasure by authoritarian governments. Co-presented by the RIMA and the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center, and moderated by Viktorya Vilk, Director, Digital Safety and Free Expression at PEN America, this conversation will explore the devastating impact of censorship in the digital age, from the deletion of websites, controlling what can and can’t be said on social media, and the destruction of historical records.

Gessen, Nemzer, and Wang will not only shed light on how these tactics work, but discuss the ways journalists and writers can push back against media erasure, protect free expression, and fight for the truth to not be silenced.

Don’t miss this urgent conversation about the battle for truth and independent media in a world where information is power.