Question

Question

What was the effect of Zenger’s trial on libel laws?

(1 point)
Responses

Libel laws were reinterpreted to apply to any statement that damaged a person’s reputation, regardless of whether it was true.
Libel laws were reinterpreted to apply to any statement that damaged a person’s reputation, regardless of whether it was true.

Libel laws were interpreted to apply only to untrue statements that damaged a person’s reputation.
Libel laws were interpreted to apply only to untrue statements that damaged a person’s reputation.

Libel laws were expanded to apply to governments as well as individuals.
Libel laws were expanded to apply to governments as well as individuals.

Libel laws were interpreted to apply both to spoken and written statements that damaged reputations.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

Libel laws were interpreted to apply only to untrue statements that damaged a person’s reputation.

Zenger's trial set a precedent that truth is a defense against libel claims, which helped to shape modern libel laws.