ABSTRACT
Every publication which contains statements of fact or opinion runs the risk that some of them may be untrue, or unjustified. However hard authors and editors try, a certain number of inaccuracies will always slip through the net and get published. Some will not matter very much, or will simply look unfortunate. Some, more serious, mis-statements may raise allegations of negligence, and we will look at negligent mis-statement below (p. 193). There is a particular category of untruth, however, which publishers would be well advised to avoid at all costs, and that is any untrue statement which might be taken to impugn a person’s reputation. In essence, this is what defamation is.
