Media Matters was forced to lay off staff to afford a defense against Elon Musk’s frivolous lawsuit. Musk is suing the nonprofit for its report on hate speech on X. The lawsuit is a reminder that SLAPP lawsuits can chill speech and harm those providing vital information to the public and that a federal anti-SLAPP law is needed. (The Hill, June 2, 2024, by Caitlin Vogus)
Emily Hockett for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, June 3, 2024, reports that Ohio is now considering an anti-SLAPP bill based on a model law called the Uniform Law Commission’s Pubic Expression Protection Act. Eight states have recently passed versions of the model and bills based on the model have been introduced in nine other states.