How to Avoid Slander

While it might be tempting to give someone a verbal dressing down, there is a great deal that can be said for exercising restraint when it comes to giving someone a piece of your mind. If you can avoid slander, it is probably best that you do, regardless of your desire to do otherwise. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Confine your disparaging comments to your own home if at all possible. One of the keys to avoiding slander or libel is to remember it is not slander if it is not heard publicly.
2. Resist the temptation to commit anything that could be considered slander or libel to print. This is a big no-no and can carry significant legal penalties.
3. Remember that libel laws do not apply to celebrities and other public personalities. This exception is what allows tabloid newspapers and tell-all biographers to get away with things that would be libelous against a private citizen.
4. Remember to obey slander and libel laws in other countries. While North American laws allow for a great deal of freedom in terms of what you say, many other countries are far stricter.
5. Keep your opinions to yourself if it is at all possible. The best way to avoid slander is to sublimate your negative opinion in such a way that it will not cause negative results.
6. Offer an apology to the person you may have slandered as soon as you realize you are in the wrong. Try to avoid any legal actions that will only lead to more bitterness and needless expense.