What must be proven to establish defamation in Ohio?

To establish defamation in Ohio, it is essential to prove that a false statement was made about someone, which, in turn, causes harm to that person's reputation. Defamation is fundamentally about protecting individuals from falsehoods that can damage their social standing or goodwill in the community.

In this context, the focus is on the necessity of the statement being false; truthful statements cannot be the basis for a defamation claim, regardless of whether they cause harm. The requirement of proving harm to reputation underscores the importance of the impact that the false statement has on the individual's standing and how they are perceived by others. Since reputational injury is a key component in a defamation case, the claim must demonstrate that the false statement was detrimental to the individual's ability to be viewed favorably by peers or the public.

The other options do not reflect the necessary elements for a defamation claim. For instance, a true statement cannot constitute defamation, even if it causes harm. Additionally, private statements that do not affect reputation do not meet the criteria for defamation, nor do harmless exaggerations that do not reflect malicious intent or lead to reputational damage. Therefore, only a false statement that results in harm to someone's reputation fulfills the legal requirements for defamation in