From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
<!-- start content -->"Libel" and "Slander" redirect here. For other uses, see Libel (disambiguation) and Slander (disambiguation).
"Vilification" redirects here. For the hate crime, see racial vilification.
In law, defamation -- also called calumny, libel (for written words), slander (for spoken words), and vilification -- is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government or nation a negative image. It is usually, but not always,<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-0>[1]</SUP> a requirement that this claim be false and that the publication is communicated to someone other than the person defamed (the claimant).
In common law jurisdictions, slander refers to a malicious, false and defamatory spoken statement or report, while libel refers to any other form of communication such as written words or images. Most jurisdictions allow legal actions, civil and/or criminal, to deter various kinds of defamation and retaliate against groundless criticism. Related to defamation is public disclosure of private facts, which arises where one person reveals information that is not of public concern, and the release of which would offend a reasonable person. "Unlike [with] libel, truth is not a defence for invasion of privacy."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-1>[2]</SUP>
False light laws are "intended primarily to protect the plaintiff's mental or emotional well-being."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-martin_2-0>[3]</SUP> If a publication of information is false, then a tort of defamation might have occurred. If that communication is not technically false but is still misleading, then a tort of false light might have occurred.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-martin_2-1>[3]</SUP>
Jump to: navigation, search
<!-- start content -->"Libel" and "Slander" redirect here. For other uses, see Libel (disambiguation) and Slander (disambiguation).
"Vilification" redirects here. For the hate crime, see racial vilification.
In law, defamation -- also called calumny, libel (for written words), slander (for spoken words), and vilification -- is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government or nation a negative image. It is usually, but not always,<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-0>[1]</SUP> a requirement that this claim be false and that the publication is communicated to someone other than the person defamed (the claimant).
In common law jurisdictions, slander refers to a malicious, false and defamatory spoken statement or report, while libel refers to any other form of communication such as written words or images. Most jurisdictions allow legal actions, civil and/or criminal, to deter various kinds of defamation and retaliate against groundless criticism. Related to defamation is public disclosure of private facts, which arises where one person reveals information that is not of public concern, and the release of which would offend a reasonable person. "Unlike [with] libel, truth is not a defence for invasion of privacy."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-1>[2]</SUP>
False light laws are "intended primarily to protect the plaintiff's mental or emotional well-being."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-martin_2-0>[3]</SUP> If a publication of information is false, then a tort of defamation might have occurred. If that communication is not technically false but is still misleading, then a tort of false light might have occurred.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-martin_2-1>[3]</SUP>
