The SNO Report: New Lesson on Libel

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Our curriculum expert, Ivy Kaplan, has been working hard on lesson plans around principles in journalism, as part of our free journalism curriculum. Recently, she finished up work on a new, very important lesson: Libel.

“One of the primary roles of the press is to report on issues of interest and concern to the public. However, individuals who are reported on also have the right to not have false statements published about them that might damage their reputation,” she writes. “These two rights, when they clash, can not only lead to lawsuits, but can also damage the public’s view of and trust in the press. Enter libel law, an attempt at mediation.”

In this Google Slides lesson, libel is defined and four elements of the law are outlined. Defenses against libel accusations are also covered.

Also view our other “Principles of Journalism” lessons, including:

  • Journalism Ethics
  • Copyright Law
  • Fair Use
  • Getting Consent to Interview