A holding amendment to press regulation plans will exempt “small-scale bloggers” and some small firms from fines if they transgress new rules set by the new independent press regulator.
Bloggers with a turnover of less than £2m annually and fewer than 10 employees will be excluded from certain punitive elements of the proposed new press regulation regime, under a legislative amendment agreed by the three main political parties.
Ministers from all parties have reached an agreement laying down the definition of what constitutes a “micro business” that will be exempt from the government’s controversial plans which could allow courts to impose exemplary damages on newspapers who refuse to join an approved regulator and lose libel cases.
Under the amendment to the crime and courts bill, which will be debated in the Commons today (April 22nd), bloggers and small web businesses that cover news and choose to join the regulator will also gain significant cost-protection benefits. Small firms that do now cover news as their main business will also be exempt; whilst single author blogs are already exempt.
The Government has said that the amendments “clarify the position” under the new rules, which will protect freedom of speech whilst creating a “tough system of independent self-regulation”.
News of the amendments have been welcomed by bloggers, as most will not need to join an approved self-regulator in order to avoid cost penalties if sued in court.
However, any new blogger who chooses to join one will get protection against costs if a libel or privacy claimant chooses to sue them in court instead of using the arbitration scheme.
Joining a regulator will also mean that that use of the arbitral arm in the regulator will be taken into account by the court when awarding costs.