How Much Do You Know About Defamation Law?

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| By Lindsay Kottwitz
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Lindsay Kottwitz
Community Contributor
Quizzes Created: 22 | Total Attempts: 39,635
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How Much Do You Know About Defamation Law? - Quiz

Defamation is lies, or only partial truths, spoken or written about a person by another in hopes of ruining that persons character so that other people will stop believeing or following them. Take the quiz to see how much you know about Defamation law.


Questions and Answers
  • 1. 

    Spoken defamation is referred to as:

    • A.

      Slander

    • B.

      Libel

    • C.

      Lies

    • D.

      Smear campaign

    Correct Answer
    A. Slander
    Explanation
    Spoken defamation refers to making false statements about someone that harm their reputation. Slander specifically refers to the act of orally spreading false information about someone with the intent to damage their reputation. It is important to note that slander specifically pertains to spoken words, while libel refers to written or published false statements. "Lies" and "smear campaign" are more general terms and do not specifically refer to spoken defamation.

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  • 2. 

    A person can defame themselves under common law.

    • A.

      True

    • B.

      False

    Correct Answer
    B. False
    Explanation
    Under common law, a person cannot defame themselves because defamation requires a false statement made by one person about another person that damages the other person's reputation. Since self-defamation involves making false statements about oneself, it does not meet the criteria for defamation. Therefore, the correct answer is False.

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  • 3. 

    How many elements must be proven to sue for defamation?

    • A.

      2

    • B.

      3

    • C.

      4

    • D.

      5

    Correct Answer
    C. 4
    Explanation
    To successfully sue for defamation, four elements must be proven. These elements include making a false statement about someone, publishing or communicating the statement to a third party, causing harm or damage to the person's reputation, and acting with negligence or intent. Each of these elements is crucial in establishing a defamation claim.

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  • 4. 

    A third party publisher takes negligible blame in defamation suits.

    • A.

      True

    • B.

      False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    In defamation suits, a third party publisher refers to someone who is not the original author or speaker of the defamatory statement but is responsible for disseminating it to the public. The statement suggests that such publishers bear very little blame in defamation suits. This is true because, in most jurisdictions, the law provides certain protections to third party publishers, such as immunity or limited liability, as they are seen as intermediaries rather than the primary source of the defamatory statement. Therefore, they are often not held fully accountable for the content they publish, resulting in negligible blame in defamation suits.

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  • 5. 

    What is the punishment for defamation?

    • A.

      Jail time

    • B.

      Probation

    • C.

      Fines

    • D.

      Nothing

    Correct Answer
    C. Fines
    Explanation
    Defamation refers to making false statements about someone that harm their reputation. The punishment for defamation typically involves fines rather than jail time or probation. This is because defamation is considered a civil offense rather than a criminal offense in many jurisdictions. Fines are imposed as a way to compensate the victim for the damage caused to their reputation.

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  • 6. 

    You can sue for defamation if the statement in question is true, but harmful to the person's reputation.

    • A.

      True

    • B.

      False

    Correct Answer
    B. False
    Explanation
    You cannot sue for defamation if the statement in question is true, as truth is a defense against defamation claims. Defamation refers to making false statements that harm someone's reputation. In order to successfully sue for defamation, the statement must be false and have caused damage to the person's reputation. Therefore, the given answer is false.

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  • 7. 

    Who filed a lawsuit against Daily Mail last year, after the paper claimed she used to be an escort?

    • A.

      Meghan Markle

    • B.

      Tomi Lahren

    • C.

      Paris Hilton

    • D.

      Melania Trump

    Correct Answer
    D. Melania Trump
    Explanation
    Melania Trump filed a lawsuit against Daily Mail last year after the paper claimed she used to be an escort.

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  • 8. 

    What celebrity got $50 million from The Star after false drug use claims?

    • A.

      Katie Holms

    • B.

      Ben Affleck

    • C.

      Halle Berry

    • D.

      Tony Hawk

    Correct Answer
    A. Katie Holms
    Explanation
    Katie Holmes received $50 million from The Star after false drug use claims.

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  • 9. 

    Who was the first to try to file a defamation lawsuit over a tweet?

    • A.

      Donald Trump

    • B.

      Ray Romano

    • C.

      James Woods

    • D.

      Bill Murray

    Correct Answer
    C. James Woods
    Explanation
    James Woods was the first to try to file a defamation lawsuit over a tweet. This suggests that out of the given options, he was the individual who took legal action in response to a defamatory statement made on Twitter. This indicates that the other options, Donald Trump, Ray Romano, and Bill Murray, did not file defamation lawsuits over tweets.

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  • 10. 

    What Vegas hotel filed a defamation case against Girls Gone Wild!?

    • A.

      Luxor

    • B.

      Planet Hollywood

    • C.

      Wynn

    • D.

      Caesar's Palace

    Correct Answer
    C. Wynn
    Explanation
    Wynn is the correct answer because the question asks which Vegas hotel filed a defamation case against Girls Gone Wild! Wynn Resorts, owned by Steve Wynn, filed a defamation lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis in 2008. The lawsuit claimed that Francis made false statements about Wynn and his company.

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Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.

  • Current Version
  • Mar 17, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • May 23, 2018
    Quiz Created by
    Lindsay Kottwitz
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