Defamation

Introduction to Defamation

Defamation, the act of damaging the reputation of another by means of false and injurious communications that expose that person to contempt, ridicule, hatred, or social ostracism. In the common law, defamation in writing is classified as libel, and oral defamation as slander.” (1)

Internet Speech, Defamation, Online Torts and The Good Samaritan Exemption in the Context of Internet Law

Read, in this legal Encyclopedia, about the topic of this section, and, specially, about Defamation, Torts and the Good Samaritan Exemption

Defamation in Cyberlaw

Defamation, Torts and the Good Samaritan Exemption

Hacking Disruptions in Cyberlaw

Tort and Related Liability for Hacking, Cracking, Computer

Viruses, Disabling Devices and Other Network

Disruptions

Free Expression in Cyberlaw

E-Commerce and the Rights of Free Speech, Press and

Expression In Cyberspace

Internet Speech, Defamation, Online Torts

and The Good Samaritan Exemption in the Context of Internet Law

Defamation, Torts and the Good Samaritan Exemption

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Defamation in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Defamation

Kinds of Torts: Other Torts Defamation

Introduction to Defamation

The tort of defamation consists of publishing a statement that injures the reputation of a person or organization. Publishing is defined as communicating the statement to at least one person other than the subject of the statement. An injury to reputation may result if the statement reduces the esteem or respect in which the person is held; casts the person into an improper light (for example, by suggesting that the person is a criminal); or generates derogatory or unpleasant feelings about the person. If the statement is spoken, the tort is known as slander. Defamation is known as libel when the statement is expressed visually, through words or images. Thus, a defamatory comment made at a public speech is slander and a written pamphlet containing the same information is libel.

An injured party will not prevail in a claim of defamation if the statement, though derogatory, is true. For example, if a person says that another person is a murderer and that person was convicted of murder, there is no defamation. Special rules make it much harder to bring a defamation claim where the target of the statement is a public figure.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Defamation in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Defamation

Hierarchical Display of Defamation

Law > Criminal law > Offence > Crime against individuals

Defamation

Concept of Defamation

See the dictionary definition of Defamation.

Characteristics of Defamation

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Resources

Translation of Defamation

• Spanish: Difamación
• French: Diffamation
• German: Verleumdung
• Italian: Diffamazione
• Portuguese: Difamação
• Polish: Zniesławienie

Thesaurus of Defamation

Law > Criminal law > Offence > Crime against individuals > Defamation

See also

• Fraud

• Libel
• Slander