Public figure

A public figure, such a politician, celebrity, social media star, or corporate leader, is someone who has a prominent position in society, has the ability to gain much from society, and is intimately connected to the interests of the general public.

Defamation (libel, slander) and invasion of privacy cases in the United States need evidence of genuine malice on the part of the writer or publisher in order for a public person to win a lawsuit based on false and hurtful claims. Because of this, the standard of evidence in defamation cases is far greater for public figures than it is for regular citizens.

Libel laws are quite different from one country to the next. The United Kingdom (UK) has quite different libel laws than the United States (US), even though both countries are considered Western.

New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, a 1964 decision of the United States Supreme Court, is the prevailing case law in the United States and is widely regarded as a seminal judgement in defence of the First Amendment and press freedom.