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Questions tagged [libel]

Defamation by written means

Libel is a subset of defamation, concerned specifically with written or printed defamation.

A famous case is McDonald's Corporation v Steel & Morris [1997] EWHC QB 366 case, popularly known as the McLibel case. The case ran for 10 years, with the awarding £40,000 in damages in favour of McDonalds Corporation.

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Can someone explain the thinking behind the libel (?) case between Trump and Carroll for a non-US audience?

As far as I understand the situation between Donald Trump and EJ Carroll she has, very publicly, accused him of rape but there is no conviction or anything else "supporting" that accusation (e.g., a police investigation because a crime likely has…
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Do Twitter disclaimers saying "opinions are my own" give any legal protection to the account owner?

A larger number of twitter accounts have a biography stating that tweets are their own opinion not that of their company. An example: Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer Does this actually protect the employee from being…
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What is the smallest audience for a communication that has been deemed capable of defamation?

Descriptions of the criteria for defamation seem widely to describe any statement that is communicated to a third party as being defamatory if they are (broadly speaking) false and harmful. This seems to allow for the possibility that relatively…
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Sue newspaper or the reporter for libel?

Are there any reasons to only sue a newspaper (the corporation) for libel and not the individual reporter who libeled you?
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The difference between libel and slander

I've heard people use the terms libel and slander interchangeably, but I know that they are different in the eyes of the law. What are the defining characteristics of each?
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Is publishing defamatory statements from an "anonymous source" protected?

Say that Andy the Actor is minding his own business, when the Washington Post posts an article about him, claiming that, according to anonymous sources, Andy is a racist bigotted transphobe that has been sexually creepy with multiple women and is…
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False written accusations not made public - is there law to cover this?

If a person makes a false accusation against me in written, but not a published form, such as email, is there a legal process I can enact which would force the accusing party to either retract the claim or prove it? posting using a dummy account to…
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Is it libel if a company lies about being the first to achieve something?

If a company publishes false statements claiming that it was the first to achieve some notable technological milestone, or that it currently provides the most of some measurable service, can that count as libel against the company which truly…
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Is contributory "publication" a defense against libel?

Suppose there was a work of fiction where one of the characters was based on a real one. And suppose the real person sued the author and, through the process of discovery, found private emails, author's notes, etc., that confirm the claim. But…
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How is "defamation" defined?

I have a recollection that late in the 20th century in the United States, A called B a "bastard." B sued A for defamation. The court ruled in favor of the defendant. Its first observation was that (at the time) one of out every four American…
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Is it libel if you claim someone said something that they actually didn't?

What is the legal term for claiming someone said something they never actually did, basically, putting words in their mouth? Is it called libel? Is it some other legal term? Or is there no legal term for that?
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Risks of criticizing people online

Okay, so, basically, I want to make a blog about ripping on people. And it's not like just ripping because ripping but I really want to point out flaws in works/people/attitudes/technology/decisions and whatever. I don't really care about people…
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How does changing a name FAIL to protect against a libel suit?

In the answer to this question, someone convinced me that changing Paul dePodesta's name to "Peter Brand" in "Moneyball, was enough to signal a "disconnect" between Mr. dePodesta and "Billy Beane's assistant." Yet, this tactic didn't work in the Red…
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Can I sue someone for publicly calling me a sex offender if I'm not one?

I was removed from the sex offender list by the state in May because I don't have a sex related crime, but I can still find myself posted on websites and posts labeling me as a registered sex offender. Can I take legal action?
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Are forum users who establish their identity more entitled to protection from libel?

In an online forum or social network does a user who ties the identity of their presence there to their real world identity have more recourse open to them with regard to being libeled than a user who uses a pseudonym? Asked another way, is it…
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