libel v. slander

Libel and slander are types of untrue statements that tend to damage someone’s reputation. In simple terms, libel is written defamation, and slander is spoken defamation. A more comprehensive distinction is that libel is a published statement with a permanent record (e.g., newspapers, websites, email, pictures, signs, and radio and television broadcasts), whereas slander is a statement without a permanent record (e.g., a spoken statement or gesture).

The Canadian Bar Association on libel v. slander