Defamation

thumb|Netherlandish Proverbs|One winds on the distaff what the other spins (Both spread gossip) by [[Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 16th century)]]

Kompromat (, short for , variously translated as "compromising material", "discrediting material", or "incriminating material") is damaging information about a person or a group, commonly a politician, businessperson, or other public figure, which may be used for negative campaigning or smear campaigning to discredit the person or group. It can also be used for blackmail purposes, often to exert influence over a person rather than for monetary gain, and extortion. In English it is also called "dark PR" or "black PR". Kompromat may be acquired from security agencies or intelligence agencies, or

deliberate and sustained process that destroys the credibility and reputation of a person, institution, organization, social group, or nation

themes, catchphrases, and slogans that have been used against homosexuality or other non-heterosexual sexual orientations and to demean lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people

German journalist

halakhic term for derogatory speech about another person

the spreading of deliberate fabrications or exaggerations about the crimes committed by an enemy

thumb|right|1868 allegory of backbiting based on [[Psalms, "the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart" (11:2) and "their tongue a sharp sword" (57:4)"]] Backbiting or tale-bearing is to slander someone in their absence — to bite them behind their back. Originally, backbiting referred to an unsporting attack from the rear in the blood sport of bearbaiting.

legal strategy used by authors to evade libel lawsuits

accusation against an individual claiming they committed child sexual abuse when no abuse has been committed by the accused

literary genre, usually political, typical of pamphlets

Transvestigation (a portmanteau of transgender and investigation) is a conspiracy theory that asserts that many celebrities and other prominent individuals are transgender (or, conversely, that some openly transgender celebrities are cisgender). Proponents claim to be able to determine the assigned sex of individuals, primarily through photographic and video evidence. The methods used by "transvestigators" are subject to pareidolia and confirmation bias.

idiomatic phrase that refers to exploitation

United States legal requirement imposed upon public figures when they file suit for libel