Which privacy tort involves portraying a person in a false or misleading light?

Which privacy tort involves portraying a person in a false or misleading light?

• A. Picture of Name for Commercial Advantage
• B. False Light
• C. Intrusion Upon a Person's Seclusion
• D. Public Exposure of Private Facts

Answer: (B)

False light focuses on protecting a person from being portrayed in a way that is false or misleading. To succeed, the plaintiff must show that the defendant published information or presented a depiction that places the person in a light that is not true and would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. The portrayal can be a distortion or spin that changes how others perceive the individual, and in many jurisdictions a public figure must prove actual malice. This is distinct from intrusion upon seclusion (invading private spaces or confidential matters), public exposure of private facts (disclosing true, private information in a highly offensive way), and the right of publicity (using a person’s name or likeness for commercial gain). So portraying someone in a false or misleading light is the hallmark of the false light privacy tort.

False light focuses on protecting a person from being portrayed in a way that is false or misleading. To succeed, the plaintiff must show that the defendant published information or presented a depiction that places the person in a light that is not true and would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. The portrayal can be a distortion or spin that changes how others perceive the individual, and in many jurisdictions a public figure must prove actual malice. This is distinct from intrusion upon seclusion (invading private spaces or confidential matters), public exposure of private facts (disclosing true, private information in a highly offensive way), and the right of publicity (using a person’s name or likeness for commercial gain). So portraying someone in a false or misleading light is the hallmark of the false light privacy tort.