You can ban a voice. You can't control what follows.

📢 Think today’s censorship goes too far? The UK Government once banned voices of politicians on TV1.

So broadcasters used voice actors over the interview footage instead. The ban was in place for six years from 1988 - 1994 with surreal interviews broadcast with Republican politicians. This is widely regarded as one of the most ridiculous broad brush approaches to censorship ever implemented.

Until “The Day Today” satirical show sketch.

This was parodied on the show by a young Steve Coogan who had to inhale helium “to detract credibility from his statements” whilst being interviewed. Satire gold.

Censorship always finds a workaround.

🇵🇸🇦🇺 Today Australians in Queensland play an Aussie 80s rock song by John Farnham with the lyrics “from the river to sea”2 after the phrase was recently banned from pro-Palestine protest3.

🇬🇧 The proscribed organisation “Palestine Action” was inventively incorporated into slogans to push the limits4 - and despite judicial intervention deeming the ban unlawful, the group remains proscribed and use of their name is still a grey area as the opaque retrial court case progresses5.

Around the world people seek inventive ways to overcome bans on pro-Palestine speech🚫🖕🇵🇸

Perhaps Donald Trump using helium for his next rally could be one of Iran’s negotiating points? Or maybe they’ll just settle for him flying the Palestinian flag at the White House whilst wearing TACO underpants, standard clause.