Which tort is specifically concerned with harming a plaintiff's reputation through disparagement of intangible property rights?

• A. Injurious falsehood
• B. Defamation
• C. Product disparagement
• D. Invasion of privacy

Answer: (A)

The key idea is distinguishing between harming reputation and harming economic interests through false statements about property. Injurious falsehood coversfalse statements that disparage a person’s property or business interests, including intangible property rights like patents, copyrights, or licenses. When someone falsely claims that another’s intangible rights aren’t valid or that their rights are weak, and that disparagement damages the plaintiff’s economic standing, that tort fits best.

Defamation focuses on harming a person’s reputation through false statements about them personally, not specifically about property rights. Product disparagement targets false statements about the quality or value of a competitor’s products. Invasion of privacy deals with violations of an individual’s personal privacy, not disparagement of property rights. So the tort that best matches disparaging intangible property rights and the resulting economic harm is injurious falsehood.