In-depth articles explaining UK speech laws in plain English. Covers the Communications Act, Public Order Act, Online Safety Act, defamation, hate speech, and more. Written for journalists, content creators, and anyone publishing in the UK.
9 July 2026
You cannot be imprisoned for defamation — but you can be sued for substantial damages. The Defamation Act 2013 raised the bar: serious harm must be proved, truth is a complete defence, and every retweet resets the clock.
Read Article9 July 2026
In 2006, the House of Lords heard a case about racist voicemails — and produced a test that has governed every online-speech prosecution for twenty years. Here is what DPP v Collins decided, and why it still matters.
Read Article9 July 2026
Since January 2024, encouraging someone to seriously self-harm online is a specific criminal offence under the Online Safety Act. Maximum sentence: 5 years. Here's what s.184 covers — and what it doesn't.
Read Article9 July 2026
Since January 2024, sending flashing images to someone with epilepsy — knowing what you are doing — is a specific crime. No actual seizure needs to occur. Here is what s.183 covers.
Read Article9 July 2026
The old \"annoyance or inconvenience\" standard is dead. Section 179 requires knowing falsehood AND intent to cause genuine harm — two hurdles the prosecution must clear. Here's what the offence covers.
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