Final answer:
Defamation is the act of damaging a person's reputation with false statements. It can be slander or libel depending on whether it is spoken or written. The standard for defamation requires either actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Defamation is the correct answer. Defamation refers to the act of damaging a person's reputation by making false statements about them. In the context of the question, defamatory statements can be considered either slander or libel based on whether they are spoken or written. To constitute defamation, the false statement must either be made with knowledge of its falsity (actual malice) or with reckless disregard for the truth. This standard was established by the Supreme Court in the case of New York Times v. Sullivan.