SLAPPS: THE HIDDEN ENEMY OF PRESS FREEDOM AND THE ROLE OF THE LAW IN PROTECTING JOURNALISTS

Abstract

The study of fundamental rights goes beyond simple research on normative changes; it requires an analysis of the relationships that underlie and demand them. In this context, the present work aims to analyze the recent phenomenon of SLAPPs, an English acronym that refers to the coordinated action of politicians and/or other public speakers to silence critical media, preventing the free flow of ideas that may be discordant with populist and anti-republican ideals. The topic is still in its early stages in Brazilian legal literature and raises many questions, notably due to the lack of understanding of the phenomenon in all its complexity and the inefficacy of current legal responses, which may even contribute to worsening this sad scenario. Through a chain of dialogue, the formulation of testable predictions for this controversy is suggested based on renowned literature.