Defamation

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/defamation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the distinction?Libel (fixed form) vs. Slander (transient speech)
2. What is the protected entities?Individuals, corporations (legal persons), public officials, and state institutions
3. What is the difference between libel and slander?Libel is false or harmful words that are written or shown in a fixed form like a newspaper or online post. Slander is spoken words that are spoken and can be harder to prove because they disappear quickly.
4. Why is defamation more serious when it is written?Because written words stay longer and can reach more people, so they can damage a person's or a company's reputation for a longer time.

Redressable Injury: Harm that the law can provide a remedy for, such as financial compensation.
Tort Law: Area of law dealing with civil wrongs and compensation for harm caused.
Libel Per Se: Written statements so damaging that harm is presumed, no specific loss needs proving.