Liar! Liar? The Defamatory Impact of “Liar” in the Modern World

Authors

Roy S. Gutterman, Tully Center for Free Speech at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse UniversityFollow

Keywords

Defamation, Liar, Modern

Abstract

Calling someone a liar is an age-old epithet. Depending on the context, calling someone a liar could be defamatory, causing harm to a reputation. But, more often than not, calling someone a liar may be simply an expression of opinion. In some settings, litigation surrounding the publication also implicates the First Amendment. In recent years, several courts have weighed in on this issue, some with conflicting outcomes. This Article examines whether accusations of dishonesty or lying in a modern media world has a defamatory impact.

Recommended Citation

Roy S. Gutterman, Liar! Liar? The Defamatory Impact of “Liar” in the Modern World, 27 Fordham Intell. Prop. Media & Ent. L.J. 253 (2017).
Available at: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/iplj/vol27/iss2/2