However, the subjective character of many defamation laws, their overly broad scope and their application within criminal law have turned them into a powerful mechanisms to stifle investigative journalism and silent criticism.
然而，许多诽谤法具有主观性，过于笼统，而且属于刑法范畴，这使它们成为封锁深入报道和压制批评意见的有力工具。