Which of the following describes slander?

• A. False written statements damaging reputation
• B. True statements
• C. False spoken statements damaging reputation
• D. Defamation in social media

Answer: (C)

Slander is false spoken statements about a person that harm their reputation. Because it involves spoken words, the defaming remark must be communicated to someone other than the person it’s about, and it must be false for it to be considered slander. This is why describing slander as false spoken statements damaging reputation best captures the concept: the harm comes from what is said aloud, not from written words or opinions that aren’t presented as facts.

False written statements describe libel, not slander, so they’re a different form of defamation. True statements aren’t defaming at all, since they don’t harm a person’s reputation. Defamation that appears on social media can be either spoken or written, but it’s not the exact match for slander unless the harmful content is communicated through spoken words.