{"id":203497,"date":"2021-03-11T14:56:49","date_gmt":"2021-03-11T01:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/?p=203497"},"modified":"2026-05-12T14:19:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T01:19:42","slug":"what-is-defamation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/disputes-and-litigation\/what-is-defamation\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Defamation?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Defamation law protects reputations by holding people accountable for false statements that cause harm. In the digital age, a single post or comment can spread instantly and carry serious legal consequences. Understanding the basics of defamation is essential in today&#8217;s digital landscape. This article explains what defamation is, what qualifies as a &#8216;defamatory statement&#8217;, grounds for a defamation claim, potential defences, and practical steps to manage defamation risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does Defamation Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Defamation law balances freedom of expression with protection from harmful falsehoods. To prove defamation, you must establish that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>a defamatory statement was made;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the statement was about you; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the statement was published (shared with others beyond yourself).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Publication is critical. A private conversation is not defamation, but sharing a statement through emails, social media posts, news articles, advertisements, or even verbal statements to a group can constitute publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Repetition counts. If you share, repost, or republish someone else&#8217;s defamatory statement, even if you didn&#8217;t create the original content, you may be liable for further distributing it and causing additional harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If someone makes a defamation claim against you or your business, it is a serious matter. You should immediately seek legal advice about <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/disputes-and-litigation\/expert-tips-for-businesses-to-manage-litigation\/\">how to respond<\/a> to the claim and determine possible liability.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a Defamatory Statement?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no single definition of what a defamatory statement is. The general understanding is that it is an action that damages another\u2019s reputation. Courts have developed various tests over the years to determine what qualifies as defamatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to consider a <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/disputes-and-litigation\/defamatory-content\/\">defamatory statement<\/a> is to consider its possible effect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples of defamatory statements include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>false accusations of fraud, incompetence, or criminal behaviour;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>untrue claims about someone&#8217;s professional conduct or character; and\/or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>statements that attack someone&#8217;s integrity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In a notable New Zealand case, two lawyers successfully sued a former client who published articles online calling one lawyer &#8220;devious&#8221; and describing his actions as &#8220;typically cowardly.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does the statement ridicule the subject of the statement or expose them to hatred or contempt? Would most people in society think less of the person if they heard the statement, or would it not make a difference to them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"hidden\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Note: Forms are hidden<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I Have Been Defamed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you consider you have been defamed, your first step is to gather evidence of the defamatory statement or publication and any harm to you or your business\u2019 reputation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have the evidence, you should seek legal advice. Your lawyer can help assess whether your situation meets the defamation standard and determine the best approach forward.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your lawyer may suggest issuing a cease and desist letter to the publisher, requesting the removal of the statement and a public apology. If the cease and desist letter does not resolve the issue, you may consider bringing legal proceedings. If you wish to bring a defamation proceeding, you must do so within two years from the date of publication.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are the Defences to Defamation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have been accused of defamation, you should immediately review your alleged publication and assess whether any defences apply. If you received a cease and desist letter, it is important that you commercially consider complying with its demands. You should seek legal advice early to assist you with the best approach.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The defences to defamation include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Honest opinion:<\/strong> You can prove that you had a reasonable basis for the opinion you expressed in the alleged defamatory statement.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Truth:<\/strong> If the statement itself is true or essentially the same as the truth, it is not defamation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consent:<\/strong> This defence applies where the other party themselves consented to the publication of the defamatory material.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Privilege:<\/strong> This defence provides immunity to certain groups of people, such as information presented in a Parliamentary proceeding.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--warning\">\n    <p>Depending on your circumstances, if one of the above applies, you may have a defence to any defamation proceedings. However, you should take the necessary steps to mitigate proceedings being brought, including republishing or making further comments on the matter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Remedies to Defamation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>New Zealand\u2019s <em>Defamation Act 1992<\/em> provides several remedies for those affected by defamation. The following table outlines the most common of these remedies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>Remedy<\/td><td>Explanation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Declaration<\/td><td>The <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/commercial-contracts\/witnessed-online\/\">court grants a declaration<\/a> that defamation has occurred to clear the name of the defamed person.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Retraction&nbsp;<\/td><td>The person who believes they have been defamed requests the publication be retracted within five days of learning of the publication.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Correction<\/td><td>The court orders a correction be published.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--warning\">\n    <p>The court may also award damages. General damages compensate for harm to reputation, while punitive damages punish serious misconduct and deter future behaviour. However, quantifying damages can be challenging due to the intangible nature of reputational harm. It is often difficult to measure damages for defamation cases due to its intangibility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Before commencing court proceedings, consider whether a pre-action letter requesting removal of the statement and publication of a correction might resolve the matter. Litigation can be time-consuming and expensive, so exploring alternatives first is often prudent. If you do proceed with a claim, you must do so within two years from the date of publication.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"my-7 lg:my-10 border-y-2 border-gray-100 py-7 lg:py-10 flex flex-col sm:flex-row items-start gap-10\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-52 mx-auto my-0! rounded\" src=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/05\/22210201\/guide-to-resolve-business-disputes-560x792-1.jpg\" alt=\"Front page of publication\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" width=\"208\" height=\"298\">\n                <section>\n            <div class=\"text-2xl font-bold\">Guide to Resolving NZ Business Disputes<\/div>\n            <div class=\"body-text\">\n                <p>Commercial disputes are costly, stressful and can damage your business reputation. LegalVision\u2019s free Guide to Resolving NZ Business Disputes can help.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            \n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/go.legalvision.co.nz\/guide-resolving-nz-business-disputes.html\" class=\" block px-5 py-3.5 max-w-fit bg-orange button__hover transition rounded text-white font-bold text-lg no-underline uppercase leading-tight text-center\" target=\"\" rel=\"\">Download Now<\/a>        <\/section>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social Media and Defamation Risks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In modern day, social media has significantly amplified defamation risks. Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter\/X, and Google Reviews allow anyone to publish statements instantly to a wide audience. What might have once been a private complaint can now reach thousands within minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common scenarios include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>negative online reviews that contain false allegations about products, services, or business practices;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>social media posts falsely accusing businesses of misconduct, fraud, or poor workplace standards;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>screenshots and shares that republish defamatory content, extending its reach and harm; and\/or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>competitor statements disparaging products or services with false claims.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--star\">\n    <p>Once published online, defamatory content is difficult to fully remove. For example, screenshots, archives, and shares mean damage persists even after deletion. Employers may also be vicariously liable for defamatory statements made by employees on company accounts or in the course of their employment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preventing Defamation: Practical Risk Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Businesses can take proactive steps to minimise defamation risks, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>implementing approval processes for all public communications;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>training staff on defamation risks, especially those managing social media, customer service, or PR;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ensuring competitor comparisons in marketing are factual and substantiated;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>establishing clear social media policies covering company and personal use related to the business; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>monitoring your online presence and responding professionally without making defamatory counter-statements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n    <p dir=\"auto\"><strong>Key Statistics<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol dir=\"auto\">\n<li><strong>65%<\/strong>: 65 per cent of defamation disputes are resolved without a full court hearing through settlement or mediation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>NZ$240,000<\/strong>: Recent Court of Appeal-level defamation awards for serious reputational harm to businesses have reached this amount.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p dir=\"auto\"><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol dir=\"auto\">\n<li>New Zealand Law Society (2024)<\/li>\n<li>Victoria University of Wellington (2024)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Defamation protects people and businesses from false statements that harm their reputation. Social media has significantly increased defamation risks. Online content spreads quickly and is difficult to remove, making damage control challenging. Businesses should implement approval processes for public communications, train staff on defamation risks, and establish clear social media policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common defences to defamation include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>gave their honest opinion;\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>told the truth; or\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>had the person\u2019s consent to publish the statement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>LegalVision provides ongoing legal support for businesses through our fixed-fee legal membership. Our experienced<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/dispute-lawyers-lp\"><strong>disputes and litigation lawyers<\/strong><\/a> help businesses manage contracts, employment law, disputes, intellectual property, and more, with unlimited access to specialist lawyers for a fixed monthly fee. To learn more about LegalVision\u2019s legal membership, call <a href=\"tel:+64800005570\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0800 005 570<\/a> or<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/membership\/\"> visit our membership page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1722908431226\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Will I always be liable for defamation if I criticise another business?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Not necessarily. Your critical statements will not be considered defamatory if they were truthful, if you were simply giving your honest opinion, or if the other business consented to you publishing them.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1722908440975\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">I did not publish the defamatory statement but shared it with people I know. Am I liable?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If you reproduce or spread the statement, you may be liable for defamation because you have contributed to its further distribution, which may cause more harm.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1778548388804\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I be liable for reposting someone else&#8217;s defamatory content?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Republishing or sharing defamatory content makes you liable for further distributing it, even if you did not create it.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1778548403570\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Are employers liable for employees&#8217; defamatory statements?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Employers can be vicariously liable for defamatory statements employees make on company accounts or during their employment.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defamation law protects reputations by holding people accountable for false statements that cause harm. In the digital age, a single post or comment can spread instantly and carry serious legal consequences. Understanding the basics of defamation is essential in today&#8217;s digital landscape. This article explains what defamation is, what qualifies as a &#8216;defamatory statement&#8217;, grounds<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/disputes-and-litigation\/what-is-defamation\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;What is Defamation?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13518,"featured_media":201715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"219097,219316,1639,202036,1288,625","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[25,54,146,677,678],"class_list":["post-203497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disputes-and-litigation","tag-small-business","tag-medium-business","tag-litigation","tag-defamation","tag-defamatory-statement"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Defamation in New Zealand? | LegalVision NZ<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"LegalVision Law Graduate Natalie Casey-wyness explains defamation law and defences to a defamation claim that your business should know.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/disputes-and-litigation\/what-is-defamation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is Defamation in New Zealand? | LegalVision NZ\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"LegalVision Law Graduate Natalie Casey-wyness explains defamation law and defences to a defamation claim that your business should know.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/disputes-and-litigation\/what-is-defamation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"LegalVision New Zealand\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LegalVision\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-03-11T01:56:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-12T01:19:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/11151149\/austin-distel-Etxsv8WiFjM-unsplash.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1362\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"908\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Natalie Casey-wyness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@LegalVision_law\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@LegalVision_law\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Natalie Casey-wyness\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/disputes-and-litigation\\\/what-is-defamation\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/disputes-and-litigation\\\/what-is-defamation\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Natalie Casey-wyness\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d5feb46f79dfb2915413528a527da0dc\"},\"headline\":\"What is Defamation?\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-03-11T01:56:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-12T01:19:42+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/disputes-and-litigation\\\/what-is-defamation\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1217,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/disputes-and-litigation\\\/what-is-defamation\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/img.legalvision.com.au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2021\\\/01\\\/11151149\\\/austin-distel-Etxsv8WiFjM-unsplash.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"small business\",\"medium business\",\"litigation\",\"defamation\",\"defamatory statement\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Disputes and Litigation Articles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/disputes-and-litigation\\\/what-is-defamation\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/disputes-and-litigation\\\/what-is-defamation\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/legalvision.co.nz\\\/disputes-and-litigation\\\/what-is-defamation\\\/\",\"name\":\"What is Defamation in New Zealand? 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