Defamation—also called
calumny,
vilification,
traducement,
slander (for transitory statements), and
libel (for written, broadcast, or otherwise published words)—is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an
individual,
business, . . or
product . . . a negative or inferior image. This can be also any disparaging statement made by one person about another, which is communicated or published, whether true or false, depending on legal state. 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.
The following may consititute defamation per se (i.e., damages are presumed):
- Attacks on a person's professional character or standing;
- Allegations that the person has committed a crime of moral turpitude;
