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We're sending an open letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, demanding that he take up legislation to ban bogus SLAPP suits immediately. Can you add your name?

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Dear Chairman Goodlatte:

We, the undersigned individuals, believe that no one should be threatened or sued for publishing articles and editorials in news publications, leaving reviews on consumer advocacy sites, and sharing their experiences and ideas in social media forums. Through Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), abusive businesses and powerful individuals have attempted to intimidate people from sharing their honest experiences and opinions online.

We’re speaking up in support of the SPEAK FREE Act (HR 2304) to ensure that this does not happen to anyone else. This legislation will enhance free speech protections online and raise the stakes for bad businesses and individuals who would otherwise turn to meritless lawsuits to silence their critics. We urge the Judiciary Committee to expeditiously move this important bill forward to the House floor for a vote.

The internet is a powerful platform for free speech and open dialogue, providing its users with space to both share information and benefit from the knowledge of others. Not only does this result in greater civic participation, it also drives public discourse. Every day, more and more people are turning to news publications and blogs, online review sites, and other information-sharing platforms to spark conversation, read up on different topics, and make better informed decisions.

However, some businesses and individuals are uncomfortable with the internet as a platform for free speech and are attempting to silence their critics with SLAPPs. These lawsuits are a form of intimidation that allow bad actors to issue an ultimatum to whomever they want: refrain from expressing your honest thoughts online or face hefty legal fees, an invasion of privacy, and protracted legal proceedings to adjudicate your experiences and opinions. This is a lose-lose situation for individuals, and has potential to do significant harm to the internet and growing online economy.

While some states have adopted statutes to protect their citizens from SLAPPs, millions of Americans are still without access to an affordable and robust way to defend themselves against these frivolous lawsuits. The SPEAK FREE Act will level the playing field and provide federal court judges with the authority to determine whether a lawsuit is a SLAPP, and, if so, to dismiss it early on in the legal process. The bill will also include a fee-shifting provision to ensure the defendants in these cases are not burdened with legal costs if they prevail in court.

Unfortunately, many people have already been the victim of or threatened by SLAPPS and, in many cases, experienced the burden of defending themselvesselves. They have taken on expensive and time-consuming legal battles or pulled down their speech in dispute, even though we believe it to be within thos individuals' First Amendment right to say or post. Through this letter we’re letting underhanded businesses and individuals know that they can’t silence Internet users voices or take away our right to free speech.

The SPEAK FREE Act will help ensure that no one else is forced to defend their right to share their thoughts and ideas, whether positive or negative, online. The right to free speech is too important to be taken lightly. We strongly encourage the Committee to support this legislation and extend free speech protections online.

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Okay, Okay… we’re not actually going to sue you if you say something bad about us. But this is exactly what’s happening to people who post negative comments on Yelp, Airbnb, and other sites.

Companies and powerful individuals are using bogus “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” or SLAPP suits, to intimidate people into taking down their negative reviews. These lawsuits have zero legal merit. They are simply ways for powerful entities to threaten and intimidate people into submission.

This is censorship at its worst. The Internet makes it easier for people to speak their minds. It makes it easier for people to question power and challenge the establishment. It’s a great thing for millions of people, but for some business owners and public figures, it means they may have to be accountable. They hate that.

Some states have already passed laws to make it easier for judges to dismiss these bogus SLAPP lawsuits so that their victims don’t get caught up in time consuming and costly litigation. It’s time for Congress to pass a federal law to ensure that no one who exercises their free speech on the Internet has to go through a lengthy legal process to defend themselves from bogus SLAPP suits.

Here are a few examples of people who have been SLAPPed for expressing their opinions online:

Michell Duchouquette, sued by Prestigious Pets for a Yelp review: "I don't think it was hateful, it didn't have bad intent, it's my opinion of a business. When I say it out loud saying I'm getting sued up to $1 million over this review, I can't believe it."
Jennifer Ujimori, sued by Burke's Dog Tranquility over Angie's List and Yelp reviews: "People should be free to express their feelings about their service providers. Companies using the legal system to silence their critics has a chilling effect on First Amendment rights."
Matthew White, sued by Footprints Floors for a Yelp review: "People should not be threatened or have to pay a lot of money in attorney fees just because they relay a real-life experience. So what Amanda and I want to do is turn something that was very negative and costly for us into something positive for others."
T. was threatened with a lawsuit for leaving a one-star review on Amazon: "I just wanted to leave a review with information that I found useful for others who have to decide whether to purchase a product, and not have to worry about being threatened by lawyers. It makes me really nervous to leave a negative review in the future. At the very least I'll never use my real name when posting a review ever again."

Have you been hit with a SLAPP suit?

If you have personally been affected by one of these bogus lawsuits, we want to hear from you. Click here to share your story. You can share your name or stay anonymous if you like. The important things is that we collect stories of SLAPP suits and how they hurt people so we can make Congress understand how serious this issue is.