Censorship in the First World War, WW100, August 2018

Fake news is nothing new. 100 years ago, censorship restrictions in place during the First World War saw newspaper headlines portray disastrous battles like those at Gallipoli as decisive victories. At home and abroad, mail, telegrams, pamphlets and books, news and newspapers, plays, photographs, films, and speech were all subject to inspection and censorship.

In this latest campaign from WW100, we put wartime censorship itself under the spotlight. On this page you’ll find an animated video telling a brief history of censorship in the war, essays and cartoons which investigate the impacts of censorship historically, as well as considering some of the issues which affect the free flow of information in New Zealand today.

Beneath the video below you’ll find a range of perspectives on censorship – both 100 years ago and what it means today.

Join in the conversation online by using the hashtag #WW100censorship

Further historical information is also available at:

• NZHistory – Policing the war effort
• Office of Film and Literature Classification – Timeline of censorship in New Zealand

See more stories about Censorship