- ∆ makes a wide-spread dissemination of a major falsehood about π
- Strict-Liability Standard
: Honest mistakes are actionable, if π can prove that the statement is objectionable to an average person and that it is false—tortious intent is not required Remedies: Emotional damages- Not recognized as a tort in NY
Note that to qualify as a "major falsehood," the statement need not be defamatory. The standard is whether it is false, and that it is objectionable to the
average person—this requires some understanding of context in which the statement was made
Note also that unlike the tort of defamation—where the ∆ need only tell at least one person other than the π—in a "false light" case, the ∆ must have made a
wide-spread dissemination of the statement.