What constitutes defamation risk in written communications?

• A. Posting unverified or false statements that harm a person or organization.
• B. Quoting official documents only and avoiding personal opinions.
• C. Making false statements of fact that harm a person or organization can lead to legal liability; verify facts and use careful wording.
• D. Using sarcasm to make a point.

Answer: (C)

Defamation risk in written communications comes from presenting false statements of fact about a person or organization that can harm their reputation. In writing, statements presented as facts can create legal liability if they are false. The important takeaway is to verify facts and use careful wording. By checking information against reliable sources and choosing precise, unambiguous language, you reduce the chance of presenting something as a fact when it isn’t. It’s also essential to distinguish facts from opinions; opinions are generally protected, but presenting them as factual claims can still cause risk. While tone like sarcasm or relying on official documents isn’t automatically safe, risk hinges on the factual content and how it’s framed, so grounding statements in verified information is the key to staying out of defamation trouble.