Intro: Press Freedom Doesn’t Defend Itself
Independent media is under siege—from defamation lawsuits, financial coercion, political pressure, and opaque digital platforms. The Media Values Foundation is building a legal and policy firewall to protect journalism from extinction.
The New Threats to a Free Press
- Lawfare: Wealthy individuals and corporations using SLAPP suits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) to silence critical reporting.
- GDPR Asymmetry: Data laws being weaponised against small publishers without targeting Big Tech’s monopoly.
- IP Law Abuse: Journalists punished for quoting from public documents or datasets.
- Platform Control: Algorithmic throttling of independent news in favour of paid and mainstream content.
MVF’s Legal Toolkit for Journalists
- Legal Defense Fund: Providing rapid-response legal aid; successfully defended 8 out of 12 cases in 2024.
- SLAPP Tracker: Publicly naming and shaming entities abusing the court system to suppress speech.
- Policy Drafting: Collaborating with UK and EU lawmakers to design press-friendly laws, like the proposed European Media Ownership Transparency Act.
Platform Fairness Campaign
MVF is lobbying to force transparency from digital platforms on:
- How news content is ranked and filtered
- How data is harvested from journalists and readers
- How outlets can appeal bans or throttling decisions
What’s Next in 2025
- A cross-border coalition of media watchdogs across Europe
- The launch of the Democracy & Media Legal Summit in Brussels
- Model legislation toolkit for press freedom activists and policymakers
How You Can Help
Share your story if you or your outlet has been legally threatened.
Sign our petition for digital platform transparency.
Contribute to the Legal Defense Fund.
