Abusive lawsuits against media professionals in Switzerland: Insights from expert interviews and a nationwide survey

Abstract

Abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists—so-called Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs)—pose a serious threat to press freedom and liberal societies. In Switzerland, empirical research on the phenomenon has been largely absent. This study addresses this gap through a mixed-methods design that combines expert interviews with a nationwide survey of editorial managers. It examines the occurrence, definitional challenges, and impacts of SLAPPs on journalism at different levels, drawing on Weischenberg’s onion model. While documented cases are rare, editors-in-chief emphasize their potential to drain organizational resources, disrupt newsroom routines, and induce self-censorship. Such effects, also triggered by other legal pressures, strike at the heart of journalism and threaten its democratic core function. While legal experts tend to view existing safeguards as sufficient, media professionals call for reforms. Across perspectives, however, there is support for non-legislative strategies such as pooled resources, cross-industry training, and public awareness efforts.