SLAPP suit

The acronym stands for strategic lawsuit against public participation. The tactic is to sue a critic, usually for defamation, knowing the claim is weak, on the basis that legal bills and the threat of losing your house will get the video taken down long before a court decides anything. Commentary and drama channels meet this as a solicitor's letter rather than a claim form, and most of the time the letter is the entire strategy. Anti-SLAPP laws in many US states let a defendant get a case thrown out early and recover costs, though coverage is patchy and England and Wales offer only partial protection.