Civic term
Prior Restraint
What it means
Government action that blocks speech or publication before it happens, rather than punishing it afterwards. U.S. courts treat it as the most serious form of speech restriction and presume it unconstitutional, so the government carries a heavy burden to justify any instance of it.
Definition drawn from law.cornell.edu · last verified 2026-08-10
Sift's plain-language summary of the cited source, not a quotation from it.
How it's being covered
300 stories in Sift's index, from 34 outlets.
Filed 2024-12-11 — 2026-09-28.
Counts stories whose headline or summary uses the term, plus stories where Sift's own reading notes flagged it — many pieces turn on a term they never spell out in the headline.
Across the spectrum
- Left76 stories
- Center74 stories
- Right122 stories
Positions are AllSides' published ratings, shown for the outlets that filed these stories. 28 stories are counted in the total above but not placed here — either the outlet has no published rating, or Sift has not yet matched the name it files under to a dossier.
Who's covering it
- ReasonLean Right 52
- The HillCenter 31
- Washington ExaminerLean Right 23
- CBS NewsLean Left 20
- Fox NewsLean Right 18
- The New York TimesLean Left 15
- NPRCenter 13
- The Washington PostLean Left 13
- The Daily WireRight 11
- The GuardianLean Left 11
- CNBCCenter 9
- Deadline9
- New York PostRight 9
- PBS NewsHourCenter 8
- Variety8
- BBC NewsCenter 5
- The InterceptLeft 5
- The VergeLean Left 5
- Ars Technica4
- Financial TimesCenter 4
- The Daily CallerRight 4
- The Hollywood Reporter4
- The Washington TimesLean Right 4
- ABC NewsLean Left 3
- Bloomberg NewsCenter 2
- SlateLeft 2
- AxiosCenter 1
- ForbesCenter 1
- National ReviewRight 1
- PoliticoLean Left 1
- Science (AAAS)1
- The AtlanticLean Left 1
- The Dispatch1
- WIRED1
Recent stories on Sift
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The Two-Year Temper Tantrum to Come
White House Video Coverage Returns As Networks Resume TV Pool; CNN Says It’s Being Allowed Back In After Judge Sidelines Trump Ban
CNN, MS NOW say some reporters denied access to state dinner at White House despite judge's order
Legal expert explains why judge halted Trump's media ban
White House Restores Access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico
An Iowa Judge Rejects Trump's Unconstitutional Attempt To Recover Damages for 'Fake News'
White House allows banned media outlets back on grounds after judge’s order