Legal Definitions - libeler

A libeler is an individual who publishes a written statement that is false and harms another person's reputation. This term can also be spelled "libeller" or referred to as a "libelant."

A libeler is an individual or entity who creates and publishes a false statement about another person or entity in a written or other permanent form, which harms that person's or entity's reputation.

This term applies when someone puts a damaging, untrue claim into a lasting format—such as print, online text, or broadcast—and makes it available to others, thereby potentially causing harm to the subject's good name.

• Example 1: A disgruntled former employee creates a blog and publishes an article falsely accusing their previous employer's CEO of financial fraud, without any factual basis or evidence. The article is widely shared online.

  Explanation: The former employee is acting as a libeler because they authored and published a false written statement (the accusation of financial fraud) that is damaging to the CEO's professional reputation and made it accessible to the public.

• Example 2: During a local election campaign, a political operative distributes flyers and posts on social media claiming that their rival candidate was convicted of a serious crime, when in reality, the candidate was only acquitted of a minor traffic violation years ago.

  Explanation: The political operative is a libeler by publicly disseminating false written statements (the fabricated criminal conviction) that could significantly harm the rival candidate's public image and electoral prospects.

• Example 3: A competitor in the restaurant industry sends an anonymous email to a local food critic and several prominent food bloggers, falsely alleging that a rival restaurant uses unsanitary practices and expired ingredients, leading to a significant drop in the rival's reservations.

  Explanation: The competitor is the libeler because they authored and circulated a written communication containing untrue accusations that damaged the rival restaurant's business reputation and public trust.