Stopping a story before it appears is different from punishing it afterward. Prior restraint is government action that prohibits publication or broadcast of material before it reaches the public.

In systems with strong press protections, prior restraint is rare and heavily disfavored. Courts generally require an extreme justification, such as a clear and direct threat to national security, before allowing it. Most disputes over damaging or controversial reporting are left to after-the-fact remedies such as defamation suits.

Attempts at prior restraint have included injunctions against newspapers, licensing schemes, and orders to take down online content. Journalists and civil-liberties groups contest these measures because they prevent the public from seeing information and deciding its value for themselves. The near-ban on prior restraint remains a cornerstone of press freedom.

• Government prohibition of publication before release
• Strongly disfavored under press-freedom rules
• Requires extraordinary justification where allowed
• Contrasted with after-the-fact legal remedies