Defamation

Defamation is a communication that injures a third party's reputation and causes a legally redressable injury

It not necessarily restricted to making assertions that are falsifiable, and can extend to concepts that are more abstract than reputation – like dignity and honour.

United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which states that:

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks

Privilege Mistake of fact Mere vulgar abuse Fair comment Consent Innocent dissemination Incapability of further defamation Statue of limitations No actual injury

Although laws vary by state; in America, a defamation action typically requires that a plaintiff claiming defamation prove that the defendant:

made a false and defamatory statement concerning the plaintiff; shared the statement with a third party (that is, somebody other than the person defamed by the statement); if the defamatory matter is of public concern, acted in a manner which amounted at least to negligence on the part of the defendant; and caused damages to the plaintiff

Detraction edit Further information: Detraction The mortal sin of damaging another's good name, by revealing their faults or crimes (honestly believed real by the detractor). Contrasted with calumny, where the assertions are knowingly false.

The degree of sinfulness depends on the harm done, based on three things:

The criminality of the thing alleged The reputation of the detractor's trustworthiness The dignity or esteem of the victim