What is libel? According to the dictionary, libel is "a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person". You might think that since I've set out to define libel and have done so in only two sentence, this is going to be the shortest article in the history of the Whyville Times. I'm afraid not. Libel might seem easy to understand: don't spread lies about anyone who's alive, but libel can get a little tricky and since it applies largely to written work, it is more than applicable to the Whyville Times, which I'm assuming you are currently reading.
Let's start off with what libel is. Again, in case you missed it the first two times I said it, libel is basically spreading rumors about someone in print. It's a legal term and it makes sense if you think about it, imagine what the papers would say if they could just say whatever they wanted. Mariah Carey wouldn't make an appearance at the New York Times Benefit Gala? No problem! They'll just say that she's gone out and hired a hit man to off Britney Spears. It's called revenge. Or imagine what anti-Bush newspapers would publish if they could make up whatever they fancied - today he could be dancing in a ballroom with Winston Churchill and tomorrow he could be eating endangered whale species for dinner.* The world would be chaotic to say the least because printed material, especially newspapers like the Whyville Times try to be as credible as possible.
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