Defamation occurs when someone publishes a false statement presented as fact that harms another person’s reputation. Online defamation is simply defamation in digital form—through social media posts, blogs, comments, videos, memes or forwarded messages. Because online content can spread rapidly and widely, the reputational damage can be severe even if the original statement was made casually or anonymously.

For a statement to be defamatory, it usually needs to be false, clearly refer to an identifiable person or group, and be communicated to others in a way that lowers the target’s standing in society. Honest opinions, fair comments, and truthful statements made in public interest are usually treated differently from deliberate lies and malicious attacks. If someone faces online defamation, good first steps include collecting evidence (screenshots, URLs, timestamps), reporting the content to the platform with a takedown request, seeking legal advice where necessary, and in serious cases approaching the police or relevant legal forums. At the same time, users should be careful not to casually share unverified allegations, because repeating defamatory content can itself attract responsibility.