Definition:
Defamation is the act of harming the reputation of another by making a false statement to another person. The act of defamation may be through a false written or oral statement.
Libel is the legal term for a written defamatory statement; slander is the legal term for an oral statement.
In order for a statement to be defamatory it must be both false and communicated. If the statement is true, it does not harm the person's reputation, so
Examples:
An example of libel would be someone writing that another person is a thief. If the written statement is not true, the writer can be sued for libel.
An example of slander is someone telling others that Lari is a thief. If the statement is not true, the speaker can be sued for slander.
