Published falsehoods can be costly. Libel is a defamatory statement made in written or other permanent form that harms a person’s reputation. It is the published counterpart to spoken slander.

To succeed in a libel claim, a plaintiff generally must show that the statement was false, referred to them, was published to a third party, and caused harm. Public officials and public figures in many systems must also prove actual malice. Truth, privilege, and fair report of official proceedings are common defenses.

Newsrooms manage libel risk through careful attribution, documentation, and pre-publication review of high-risk stories. Prompt corrections can mitigate damages. Understanding libel law is part of professional training because a single reckless paragraph can generate years of litigation.

• Published false statement harming reputation
• Requires falsity, identification, publication, and harm
• Higher proof burden for public figures in many systems
• Managed by verification and legal review