false light
The term "false light" pertains to a legal concept primarily in the United States, addressing situations where individuals are misleadingly portrayed, causing emotional distress or embarrassment.
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Definition
C1Legal
(technical, formal)A situation where a person is depicted misleadingly, causing emotional distress or embarrassment.
Example
- The celebrity sued the magazine for portraying her in a false light that suggested she endorsed a controversial product.
- False light claims often involve the publication of images or statements that mislead the public about a person's actions or character.
C2Privacy Law
(technical, formal)A legal claim for portraying someone in a way that is misleading and highly offensive, even if not outright false.
Example
- False light cases require proving that the portrayal was highly offensive to a reasonable person.
- Unlike defamation, false light focuses on the emotional harm caused by the misleading portrayal.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "false light":