Defamation

Defamation is a legal term referring to the act of making false statements about someone that damage their reputation. It can occur through spoken words (slander) or written statements (libel). For a claim of defamation to be valid, the statement must be untrue, harmful, and made without adequate research into its truthfulness. Public figures often have a higher burden to prove defamation, needing to show that the statement was made with actual malice. Defamation laws aim to balance protecting individuals' reputations with the freedom of speech.