Opinion ID: 836524
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: invasion of privacy by false light

Text: Plaintiff's complaint for invasion of privacy by false light also alleged that the statements discussed above imply that the corkscrew climb is prohibited by the FAA because of safety concerns, that plaintiff was performing aerobatic maneuvers over Aurora and Charbonneau on the day of the accident in violation of FAA regulations, and that plaintiff is among the many pilots who routinely ignore recommended takeoff and landing patterns. According to plaintiff, those implied statements placed his conduct, skill, safety and responsibility as a pilot before the public in a false light that was highly offensive to him and would be to a reasonable person. This court previously has not recognized the tort of invasion of privacy by false light. [3] As we explain below, we need not decide in this case whether to do so because, even if that tort is available in Oregon, plaintiff has failed to allege it here. The Restatement (Second) of Torts § 652A (1977) identifies four types of invasion of privacy claims, including false light. See also Time, Inc. v. Hill, 385 U.S. 374, 87 S.Ct. 534, 17 L.Ed.2d 456 (1967) (describing framework for tort now labeled invasion of privacy by false light). Section 652E of the Restatement (Second) of Torts provides: One who gives publicity to a matter concerning another that places the other before the public in a false light is subject to liability to the other for invasion of his privacy, if (a) the false light in which the other was placed would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, and (b) the actor had knowledge of or acted in reckless disregard as to the falsity of the publicized matter and the false light in which the other would be placed. The tort of invasion of privacy by false light is like the tort of defamation, in that it leads others to believe something about a person that is not true. However, the primary injury in a defamation claim is damage to a person's reputation, while the primary injury in a false-light claim is the mental distress or anguish that a person suffers because the false light that is cast by a communication is highly offensive. See Lerman v. Flynt Distributing Co., Inc., 745 F.2d 123, 135 (2d Cir.1984) (describing tort). As explained above, plaintiff's complaint alleged only that the statements to which he objects imply statements that would lead others to believe something about him that is not true. Even assuming that there could be circumstances in which implied statements could form the basis for a claim of invasion of privacy by false light, [4] we have explained above that, in this case, there are no reasonable links between the statements in the flyer and the implied statements that plaintiff contends place him in a false light. See Partington v. Bugliosi, 56 F.3d 1147, 1160 (9th Cir.1995) (reasons for rejecting defamation claim provide basis for also rejecting false-light claim). Therefore, the circuit court did not err in granting defendants' motion for summary judgment on plaintiff's invasion of privacy claim. The decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed. The judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.