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CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Legal Aspects of Business Communication

In the law of defamation, which of the following correctly distinguishes libel from slander?

Libel is defamation expressed in a permanent form such as writing, print or pictures, while slander is defamation in a transient form such as spoken words or gestures. The distinction rests on the medium and its durability, not on who is defamed.

  1. ALibel is defamation in permanent form such as writing or print, while slander is defamation in transient form such as spoken wordsCorrect
  2. BLibel is spoken defamation, while slander is defamation in written form
  3. CLibel concerns only statements about a company, while slander concerns only statements about individuals
  4. DLibel is always a civil wrong only, while slander is always a criminal offence only

Explanation

Libel is a defamatory statement in permanent, visible form such as writing, printing, pictures or effigies. Slander is a defamatory statement in transient form, mainly spoken words or gestures. The option reversing them is wrong because it swaps the forms.

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