Defamation involves?

Defamation involves making false statements about an individual that harm their reputation. This legal concept is centered around the communication of untrue information that can damage the person's standing in the community or affect their professional life. For an act to qualify as defamation, it typically must be made to a third party and must be presented as a fact rather than opinion. The harm caused by such statements can lead to various consequences, including legal action.

The other choices do not accurately describe defamation. Exposing private information without permission relates more to invasion of privacy. Physical harm to another individual pertains to tort law and personal injury, while unintentional misinformation, such as accidental dissemination of incorrect facts, does not meet the criteria for defamation as it typically lacks the malicious intent needed for such claims. Therefore, the focus on false statements that harm reputation distinctly defines the concept of defamation.