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State laws provide a remedy to those who are defamed by publication of untrue facts to third parties. Defamation laws do not only apply to the written word - video and graphic images can be the subject of a defamation action as well. For example, if a celebrity fake includes images of Brittany Spears engaging in fellatio with Justin Timberlake, and Ms. Spears can prove that such depiction is false, an action for defamation might be asserted. Numerous defenses may come into play in such instances, as will be discussed below, such as the fact that the image was not presented as an accurate depiction of a real event but as a "fake." An untrue message that the above occurred is defamation, and may constitute the more serious tort of defamation per se.
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