Reputation is everything in the business world, so when your company’s reputation takes a hit, you want to know why.
If it turns out that someone has been making defamatory statements about your business, you may be the victim of slander or libel.
Slander is spoken and heard
Essentially, slander involves defamatory statements that are spoken by one party and heard by another. While people enjoy some broad latitude to speak their minds, they cannot say knowingly untrue things and present them as facts without being guilty of slander.
For example, imagine that you own a local pizza shop. A disgruntled former employee, bitter about being let go, starts telling everybody at the local market that you steal your delivery driver’s tips and use outdated meat in your toppings. This damages your shop’s reputation among customers (or potential customers).
Libel is written and published
Libel is generally easier to prove than slander because, by definition, it involves defamatory statements that are written down or recorded in some way and published to others. This can include letters and columns in newspapers or magazines, blogs, social media posts and more.
For example, imagine that your former employee comes home from the farmer’s market emboldened and decides to take things further. They post their allegations anonymously on NextDoor or Facebook where most of the town can read it, further damaging your business.
What can you do about defamatory attacks? Fortunately, you do not have to let slander and libel go unchallenged – and you really should not. If your business remains silent when allegations are flying around, that may be seen as a tacit acknowledgment that whatever is being said is true. If you or your company has suffered losses due to defamation, seeking tailored legal guidance can help you decide what move to make next.
