In recent weeks, Greta Reich, editor-in-chief of Stanford University’s student newspaper, has been inundated with nearly two dozen requests to delete quotes, bylines, photos, and opinion articles from both former and current contributors. The staff at the Stanford Daily has been examining these requests individually.
“It’s a startling number,” Reich noted.
Across college campuses in the United States, student journalists are receiving similar demands to erase past content. These requests occur amidst the Trump administration’s stringent measures against student protesters, concerns over deportation for international students, and what many criticize as unprecedented limitations on campus free speech.
The environment is prompting young editors to reconsider the traditional journalistic commitment to transparency, aiming to safeguard those featured in their stories. On campuses, an atmosphere of apprehension is causing students to hesitate before speaking openly.
The situation became more pressing after Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University student from Turkey, faced deportation threats and detention in March, which her legal team attributes to retaliation for an op-ed she contributed to the campus newspaper, The Tufts Daily. The piece criticized the university’s handling of demands to recognize the “Palestinian genocide” and to be transparent about its investments, among other things.
Similarly, in March, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist was detained and has since spent weeks in a Louisiana detention facility.
Since March, over 1,000 students from 160 educational institutions have had their visas canceled or their legal standing revoked, as revealed in a recent review. Nonetheless, the federal government recently reversed policies terminating international students’ legal status, following numerous legal challenges.
The predominant emphasis on security risks is intensifying stress among those in student newsrooms, entities traditionally envisioned as training grounds for aspiring journalists.
Emma Wozniak, the editor-in-chief of The Lantern at Ohio State University, where 12 students encountered visa revocations, indicated the significant emotional strain this has placed on her team.
“We feel significant pressure to act responsibly because the ramifications are so profound, and we don’t want to endanger anyone,” Wozniak remarked. “It’s alarming to consider that our work could have such a dire impact. We take this responsibility very seriously.”
Guidance and flexibility in response to content removal requests have become necessities for student journalists in this climate of fear. Earlier this month, the Student Press Law Center, collaborating with several media rights organizations, recommended a more adaptable stance regarding such requests.
Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel for the center, stated, “This is unprecedented. We felt it essential to address the concerns expressed by students.”
There has been a notable rise in inquiries from student journalists about content removal or anonymity protections, with international students especially seeking clarity on safeguards while reporting for campus publications. Several students, apprehensive of potential legal consequences, have opted to retract their names from bylines.
“People are genuinely apprehensive and fearful,” stated Hiestand.
At Stanford Daily, some staff have withdrawn from editorial duties or stepped away from reporting on sensitive topics like the Israel-Hamas conflict or President Trump’s initiatives against diversity programs, according to Reich.
Reich expressed concern about the potential silencing of diverse voices, particularly from international students who might avoid engaging with the press out of fear.
“When a significant section of the student population is too afraid to share their stories, essential elements of Stanford’s narrative remain untold,” she said. “It’s deeply troubling.”
Adam Kinder, editor-in-chief of the Columbia Political Review, reported receiving numerous requests to pause or remove previously published articles, largely due to international students’ fear of deportation.
“We’re experiencing more of these requests than ever before,” he said.
Dylan Hembrough, editor-in-chief of the Alestle at Southern Illinois University, is also accommodating more flexible policies regarding content removal and anonymity, particularly concerning an upcoming story about international students facing visa revocations.
“Preserving anonymity is critical now because the stakes are incredibly high,” Hembrough explained. “People’s well-being is a priority over any story.”
Jane Kirtley, a media ethics professor, highlighted the complexities of balancing harm minimization with journalistic ethics, urging journalists to tread carefully.
She acknowledged that using anonymous sources or non-bylined articles can diminish credibility and warned about the implications of altering publicly available content, given the impact on the historical record.
“You have to consider the long-term effect on the historical record, especially when there’s an effort by the current administration to reshape historical narratives,” she noted.