Which term best describes information that can harm a person's reputation, if published?

The term that best describes information that can harm a person's reputation if published is defamation. Defamation refers to any false statement that can injure a person's reputation. It encompasses both slander and libel; slander pertains specifically to spoken defamatory statements, while libel refers to written or published defamatory statements.

Understanding this distinction is essential, as defamation as a legal concept includes both forms of damage to reputation. In the case of defamation, the focus is on the harm caused to the individual's reputation, regardless of the medium through which the damaging information is conveyed. Innuendo, while it may imply a suggestion that can be damaging, does not directly constitute the act of defamation itself unless it leads to a defamatory claim. Therefore, defamation is the broader and more accurate term that encapsulates the essence of damaging someone's reputation through false information.