June 2026: Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (“SLAPPs”) are legal claims that unjustifiably limit public interest speech and participation in issues relevant to society. The threat of such legal proceedings deters publication of public interest information or seeks to remove content from the public domain with the prospect of expensive, time-consuming litigation. The MLA has prepared this paper which addresses the need for a new anti-SLAPP law of general application and makes proposals for what a new law should or could contain. It supports the private members bills published in the House of Commons and the House of Lords on 16 June, 2026.
MEDIA LAWYERS ASSOCIATION 