Media censorship backfired in 1989 East Germany, fueling public disapproval during the emigration crisis.
Context: The German Democratic Republic used state television to suppress dissent during its citizens' exodus.
Data & Methods: Analysis combined weekly approval surveys from GDR state TV and daily content data from West German news programs using a quasi-experimental approach.
Key Finding: Citizens disapproved of censorship when they could detect misinformation through conflicting reports on Western television.
Why It Matters: This research reveals how alternative media sources can undermine traditional censorship systems, offering lessons for studying autocracies and understanding modern information warfare tactics.
