Legal Definitions - libel

Libel is a type of defamation that involves making a false statement about someone in a permanent or fixed form, such as writing, print, pictures, or broadcast, which harms their reputation.

Essentially, it's a published lie that damages a person's good name, exposes them to public scorn, or negatively impacts their business or profession.

Examples of Libel:

• A local newspaper publishes an article falsely claiming that a prominent charity director has been misusing donor funds for personal gain.
  This is libel because the newspaper printed a false statement (a fixed form) that severely damages the charity director's professional reputation and public trust.
• An online blog posts a fabricated story, complete with a manipulated image, asserting that a well-known scientist plagiarized their groundbreaking research.
  This constitutes libel as it involves a false accusation, presented in a permanent digital format (text and image), that harms the scientist's academic and professional standing.
• During a political campaign, an opponent distributes flyers containing untrue statements that accuse a candidate of having a criminal record, despite the candidate having no such history.
  This is an example of libel because the flyers are a fixed, written medium used to disseminate false information that damages the candidate's public image and electoral prospects.