Detraction

Detraction is the act of revealing another person’s real faults or sins to a third party who does not have a legitimate reason to know them, with the result that the person’s reputation is harmed. The disclosure is typically of true information that is private or not publicly relevant, and the intent is often to injure, embarrass, or satisfy curiosity rather than to inform.

Etymology and distinctions: The term derives from Latin detrahere, meaning “to pull down.” Detraction is often contrasted with calumny (slander), which involves making false statements about someone to harm their reputation, and with gossip, which may involve discussing others’ affairs without regard to accuracy or necessity. Unlike calumny, detraction relies on truth, but the moral concern lies in the improper disclosure of private matters.

Moral and legal perspectives: In many religious ethical systems, detraction is considered harmful even when the information is true, because it unjustly undermines a person’s character and breaches trust. Justification may be possible if there is a legitimate and necessary reason for the disclosure (for example, preventing harm, fulfilling a duty, or informing appropriate authorities), but such cases are often weighed carefully. In secular contexts, the ethical issue centers on privacy and respect; the legal issue centers on defamation laws, which typically protect against false statements but may not punish truthful disclosures, though truth can still have social and relational costs.

Examples: Sharing a colleague’s past mistakes with others who do not need to know, or recounting a private relapse to someone without a legitimate reason, would commonly be cited as detraction.

See also: calumny, slander, gossip, privacy.