chilling effect

An effect of discouraging, deterring, or inhibiting something. I've always thought that these rigid ways of teaching and testing students end up having a chilling effect on their naturally creative and independent ways of learning. The court's ruling will no doubt have a chilling effect on the media's ability to access government records. I just hope that the brutal smear campaign against her doesn't have a chilling effect on other young people interested in running for office.