Which term best encapsulates both spoken and written false statements that injure someone's reputation?

• A. Slander
• B. Defamation
• C. Libel
• D. Publication

Answer: (B)

Defamation is the term that covers false statements presented as facts about a person that harm their reputation, whether spoken or written. It includes both forms: slander for spoken statements and libel for written ones. While slander and libel describe the ways the statements were communicated, defamation describes the broader wrongdoing of making false statements that damage reputation. Publication refers to the act of communicating the statement to others and is a component of a defamation claim, not the overall concept. So defamation best encapsulates both spoken and written false statements that injure reputation.