INVASION OF PRIVACY AND LIBEL

Invasion of Privacy and Libel

Table of Content

Contents

Introduction3

Case Summary3

Which of the four privacy torts are involved with regard to this case? Is this a case of libel?3

Does the expectation of privacy apply to the facts in the case?4

Discuss the defenses to the tort of libel and the privacy torts regarding Steve's lawsuit5

Is there a legal difference in disclosing personal indiscretions to church elders, to members of the church, or to members of the public?6

Conclusion6

References7

Invasion of Privacy and Libel

Introduction

The main purpose of this paper is to make a case analysis of Steve and discuss the example of the balance between First Amendment rights and freedom of religion. The first amendment right is also termed as the first section of Bill of Rights. This is the most significant clause of U.S. constitution, because it gives a guarantee that a person has a freedom of writing, religion, publishing, speech and peaceful assembly. It also assures that the person has the right to bring grievances in government's knowledge.

Case Summary

This case is about Steve who joined a church, and the church leader asked him to submit his personal indiscretions. When he submitted his personal indiscretions, the church leader told him that he will communicate his indiscretions to the other church leader so that they can solve his problem. He felt offended and decided to leave the church because of privacy issues, and came to know that the church officials were about to tell his problem to other church leader, his neighbors and his employers.

Which of the four privacy torts are involved with regard to this case? Is this a case of libel?

Among the four privacy torts which are 1) appropriation, 2) Intrusion, 3) Disclosure of private facts and 4) False light, the privacy tort involved in this case is disclosure of private facts. In disclosure of private facts, the information about a person is disclosed in front of public. The public disclosure of private facts is considered to be an invasion in the privacy, and it is considered to be highly offensive to publicize the private facts. The main case is that it is offensive if the private fact is disclosed when the public does not have any concern with this fact. This tort is about the unnecessary publication of a person's personal facts, but the case is that these facts are not in the record of public. It doesn't matter that whether the facts are true or false, but they should not be publicized (Carl, 2005). Yes, it comes under the case of libel. Libel and Slander is making false statements about another person or business. Defamation is a false and malicious statement about another, expressed in text. This statement can be done with writing, pictures, as signs or other printed material.

To prove libel or slander, written or oral statement must meet three requirements:

Communicated to someone else - a third nonessential

Harmful to the reputation of the person to whom the statement refers

Malevolent

Does the expectation of privacy apply to the facts ...