Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (Freedom of Expression) Bill [HL]

Key Points

• Targets and discourages strategic litigation aimed at suppressing public participation and discussion on matters of public interest.
• Establishes mechanisms intended to enable earlier challenge or dismissal of unfounded or vexatious claims to protect freedom of expression.
• Enhances protections for individuals speaking or participating in public debates, including online discussions and technology-enabled conversations.
• Addresses misuse of litigation as a tool to intimidate or silence critics, potentially with cost and sanction provisions.
• Covers expression on public-interest topics and participation in debates, with relevance to technology platforms and digital discourse.

Progress

The bill is at the 1st Reading in the Lords, meaning it has been formally introduced and will move on to further scrutiny in subsequent stages as it passes through Parliament.