Legal Definitions - traduce

To traduce means to publicly make false and damaging statements about someone or something, often with the intent to harm their reputation, standing, or credibility. It involves spreading untrue information that discredits, maligns, or slanders an individual, a group, a product, or an organization.

Here are some examples illustrating the term:

• A disgruntled former employee, seeking revenge, began telling mutual acquaintances that their previous manager was routinely stealing from the company's petty cash fund, despite knowing these claims were entirely false.

  Explanation: The former employee is attempting to traduce the manager by spreading untrue accusations of theft, which could severely damage the manager's professional reputation and career.

• During a heated local election debate, one candidate falsely claimed that their opponent had been investigated for financial misconduct several years prior, even though no such investigation ever occurred.

  Explanation: The candidate is engaging in an act to traduce their opponent by publicly disseminating a baseless accusation designed to discredit them in the eyes of the voters and harm their chances of winning.

• A rival business owner started circulating rumors within the industry that a competitor's newly launched product was unsafe and had caused numerous customer injuries, without any factual basis for these claims.

  Explanation: The rival business owner is attempting to traduce the competitor and their product by spreading false information that could damage the competitor's brand reputation, sales, and public trust.