{"id":390,"date":"2024-06-25T20:30:56","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T19:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/ereader\/?post_type=publication&#038;p=390"},"modified":"2024-06-25T20:30:58","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T19:30:58","slug":"what-is-defamation","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/ereader\/publications\/introductory-modules-on-digital-rights-and-freedom-of-expression-online\/module-5-defamation\/what-is-defamation\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Defamation?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defamation is a false statement of fact that is harmful to someone\u2019s reputation and published \u201cwith fault,\u201d meaning as a result of negligence or malice.[footnote]Electronic Frontier Foundation, \u2018Online Defamation Law\u2019 (accessible at https:\/\/www.eff.org\/issues\/bloggers\/legal\/liability\/defamation#:~:text=Generally, defamation is a false,slander is a spoken defamation). Under some legal systems, most commonly English law jurisdictions such as Tanzania or Zambia, libel is the term used for a written defamation, while slander refers to spoken defamation.[\/footnote] Penalties and costs attached to defamation proceedings can have a notorious chilling effect with prison sentences or massive compensation awards posing a serious risk to freedom of expression, journalistic freedom and dissent in many countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The foundation for defamation in international law is article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/professionalinterest\/pages\/ccpr.aspx\">ICCPR<\/a>), which provides for protection against unlawful attacks on a person\u2019s honour and reputation. Article 19(3) of the ICCPR also refers to the rights and reputation of others as a legitimate ground for limitation of the right to freedom of expression. Reputation is therefore the underlying basis in any claim of defamation, whether slander or libel.[footnote]For a fuller discussion on the law on defamation, see the training manual published by Media Defence on the principles of freedom of expression under international law: Richard Carver, \u2018Training manual on international and comparative media and freedom of expression law\u2019, Media Defence at pp 48-64 (2018) (accessible at https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/sites\/default\/files\/resources\/files\/MLDI.FoEManual.Version1.1.pdf). See also above no. 6 for a definition of libel and slander.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defamation can be an important legal remedy for those who genuinely need it, but it can also be a weapon to quash dissent. There are many real examples where defamation may provide an important defence, for example in the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, a growing trend in the online era that disproportionately affects women. In these cases, defamation may provide recourse to seek justice for the non-consensual sharing of images (NCII) or other personal attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, defamation is also frequently misused, particularly by states and powerful individuals and actors to stifle free speech, as well as by non-state actors in the context of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, also known as SLAPP suits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/resource-hub\/\" class=\"button\">Back to Resource Hub<\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defamation is a false statement of fact that is harmful to someone\u2019s reputation and published \u201cwith fault,\u201d meaning as a result of negligence or malice.[footnote]Electronic Frontier Foundation, \u2018Online Defamation Law\u2019 (accessible at https:\/\/www.eff.org\/issues\/bloggers\/legal\/liability\/defamation#:~:text=Generally, defamation is a false,slander is a spoken defamation). Under some legal systems, most commonly English law jurisdictions such as Tanzania or Zambia, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":386,"menu_order":253,"template":"page-templates\/chapter.php","publication-category":[],"class_list":["post-390","publication","type-publication","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Defamation? | eReader<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Defamation can be an important legal remedy for those who genuinely need it, but it can also be a weapon to quash dissent.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/ereader\/publications\/introductory-modules-on-digital-rights-and-freedom-of-expression-online\/module-5-defamation\/what-is-defamation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is Defamation? 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