How did Maria Theresa use government censorship?

Maria Theresa institutionalized government censorship as part of her broader efforts to exert state control over the intellectual life of her subjects.1

As she moved to subordinate the Roman Catholic Church to the authority of the state, she increasingly felt it was the duty of the government to oversee and regulate the ideas and information circulating within her lands. This policy of strict state-managed censorship became a defining characteristic of her rule.123

The restrictive nature of these controls drew significant criticism even during the 18th century. It was not until 1781, following Maria Theresa's death, that her son and successor, Joseph II, substantially eased these official censorship measures in an attempt to garner public support for his own reformist policies.23