Nonblood relative spreading disinformation about others

defamation

noun def·a·ma·tion ˌde-fə-ˈmā-shən

defamation, in law, the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person that result in damage to that person’s reputation. Libel and slander are the legal subcategories of defamation.

Generally speaking, libel is defamation in written words, pictures, or any other visual symbols in a print or electronic medium. Slander is spoken defamation. The advent of early broadcast communications (radio and television) in the 20th century complicated this classification somewhat, as did the growth of social media beginning in the early 21st century.

Although defamation is a creation of English law (see common law), similar doctrines existed in ancient and medieval times. In Roman law, for example, abusive chants were punishable by death (see capital punishment). In early English and Germanic law, insults were punished by cutting out the offender’s tongue.

Defamation meaning in law

Defamation is a legal term that refers to any statement made by a person, whether verbal or printed, that causes harm to another person’s reputation or character. A defamatory statement made in writing, or “published,” it is considered “libel,” a defamatory statement that is spoken is considered “slander.” Defamation is not considered a criminal act, but a civil wrong. As the Constitution of the United States promises its citizens freedom of speech, there is often a fine line between exercising that right and making defamatory statements that harm another person.

Definition of Defamation

1. Noun. A spoken or published statement that harms the reputation of a person.

2. Noun. False statements that unjustifiably injure the good reputation of another person or entity.

Defamation laws in the United States date back to before the American Revolution, and are much less stringent than in some European countries. For example, in Europe, a victim can sue a person for a separate case of defamation of character for every country in which the statement was made or published. American defamation law only allows a victim one claim per publication of a defamatory statement, regardless of how many places it was published. In addition, each state has its own definition of exactly what constitutes defamation, some more lenient than others.

Publication of a Defamatory Statement

To prove publication of a defamatory statement, the statement must have been written, spoken, or otherwise expressed to others in some manner. Because spoken words are considered forgettable or merely “word of mouth,” slander is considered less serious than libel. However, when a person goes public with a spoken defamatory statement, it can cause irreversible damage to the victim’s reputation.

To be continued .