When should the criminal law intervene to deter and punish the promulgation of falsehoods that are intended to influence political – electoral or referendum ‐ campaigns? I will scrutinise the protection that UK criminal law provides for the interests of candidates, referendum campaigners and voters, from the (potential) effects of damaging falsehoods. I suggest that neither the protection of candidates’ or campaigners’ reputations, nor the promotion of the public good of collective decision‐making by voters based on accurate and adequate information, in themselves provide sufficient reasons for criminal law intervention. Falsehoods must normally be intended to threaten, undermine or prevent effective participation in the political process before the intervention of the criminal law is justified.

中文翻译：

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刑法达到极限：在选举和公投中应对虚假主张

刑法应何时干预以制止和惩罚旨在影响政治选举或全民公决运动的虚假信息的发布？我将仔细研究英国刑法为候选人，全民公决活动者和选民的利益提供的保护，以免遭受虚假性造成的（潜在）影响。我建议，既不保护候选人或竞选活动者的声誉，也不是由选民基于准确而适当的信息来促进集体决策的公共利益，本身也没有提供充分的刑法干预理由。虚假行为通常必须旨在威胁，破坏或阻止有效参与政治进程，然后再提出合理的刑法干预措施。