chilling effect

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A chilling effect is the phenomenon in which an individual, organization, or group is prevented from exercising their legal rights, leading to self-censorship in the form of the restraint of information sharing or the abstinence from certain activities. This self-censorship is driven by the fear of potential repercussions and harm if actions are taken. In the absence of a legal context, the common use of coercion or threats of coercion (along with other undesirable consequences) can exert a chilling effect on a group of people regarding a specific behavior, and often can be statistically measured or be plainly observed. For example, the news headline "Flood insurance [price] spikes have chilling effect on some home sales," and the abstract title of a two-part survey of 160 college students involved in dating relationships: "The chilling effect of aggressive potential on the expression of complaints in intimate relationships."