To be guilty of slander, the accused must have made these statements orally, such as through making false statements on the radio or TV, making false claims in a Facebook livestream or posted video, or spreading untrue claims about a person at work.
The answer is yes, but you have to meet each of the four legal elements that define defamation of character. Your lawyer also has to present convincing evidence not only that the defendant made defamatory statements on Facebook but also that the statement has damaged your personal and/or professional reputation.
Ask them to remove it - if they are spreading false statements that could harm you. If they do not, report the posts to Facebook. If they are spreading true things, just unfollow/unfriend/block/ignore.
If you would like to report a post you believe is defamatory, you can fill out this form. Please note that, due to local laws, this reporting form may not be available in your location. In addition, filling out a defamation report through this form doesn't guarantee that we will restrict access to the reported content.
Consider reaching out to the person privately, expressing your concerns and asking them to stop. If that doesn't work, report the defamatory comments to Facebook, providing evidence if possible.
Slander can be hard to prove, as the complainant must show the slanderer was driven by malice and knew their claims were false. Slander is different from libel, which are false statements made through print or broadcast.
What does Libel mean? A defamatory statement made or conveyed in some permanent form and relating to someone other than the person to whom it relates.
Someone can make a libelous statement about a person or business in print or online. Examples of potentially libelous statements include: a social media post spreading a false rumor about a person having a sexually transmitted infection. a Yelp review that falsely claims the reviewer got food poisoning at a restaurant.
In many cases, the harassment remains verbal. However, as long as the victim faces disruption to their ability to work safely, any action could fall under the category of harassment. Needless to say, rumors and slander attack the reputation of an individual and can make it difficult or even impossible to work safely.
Internet defamation, also known as cyber slander, occurs when someone makes a false statement online that negatively impacts another person's reputation.