Normally the media considers“censorship”to be a negative force that prevents freedom of expression. This stance is a result of the media’s view of itself, that of a 3rd-party passive observer, outside of the events that it reports on.   In the past, governments have tried to censor the media so that the population did not learn the truth about controversial issues or events. Censorship of this type is a terrible force of propaganda and disinformation, and we should strive to get rid of it.  However, in the modern age, the social importance of the media is more than just that of a passive observer. Political groups use the media for their own ends. It is very easy for the media to give voice to political groups by covering stories about them. Sometimes these political groups even prepare their own statements or videos and send them to media outlets hoping to receive coverage and to get a voice for their cause. This heightened role of the media means that it must have a more refined level of responsibility in choosing the stories it reports on.  There are times where it is morally desirable for the media to“self-censor”and to not provide access to the messages of certain political groups.
  The issue at hand is the use of the media by ISIL or ISIS, the Islamist organization that has taken control of much of Syria and Iraq in recent months. This group has been responsible for kidnapping, threatening, and beheading several American and British citizens. ISIL released several horrible videos displaying the gruesome murders as a way to threaten western governments and place fear in the hearts of the world.  In these videos, the victims are shown after being forced to read a statement condemning western governments. Then, a man in a black mask cuts off their heads with a knife. It is an absolutely brutal video to see. Many of the media outlets around the world, especially websites, showed these videos.
  By doing so however, the media is giving ISIL a stronger voice. These groups are desperate for attention in the media, and when these videos are allowed to be shown it gives ISIL power to express their ideology of hate. The goal of these groups is to inspire terror in the west. When these videos are shown, ISIL reaches its goal and wins. The media must be smarter than this.  Instead of being complicit in this process, the media outlets of the world must be more discerning and cautious before giving coverage to these kinds of stories, because they could be unwittingly playing into the hands of a radical violent group who are using the media for their evil goals.“Self-censorship”is sometimes appropriate if by doing so the media prevents a hate group from receiving attention and power.