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Seems to be on the same line as this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12748759

It's a mistake to take everything everyone says as legalese.

I mean these terms in the vernacular sense.

It seems to me that you are trying to pick a very technical fight in a forum where it is not suited. Neither you nor I are lawyers and this is not a courtroom.

Do you understand what I mean by libelous?

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It seems you are intent on using the term "libel" which carries a very specific and technical meaning. As best as I can parse, you mean to say they chose a deliberately unflattering picture. I suppose I understand what you are going for, but you are not doing yourself any favors by using a term that has a very specific meaning in a non-standard manner and expecting people to understand that you are using that word in a non-standard manner.

As the use of the term completely derailed the thread into unproductive and off-topic territory, I acknowledge that my uncareful use of it has done me no favors and invited a variety of "conversation noise."

I find it unfortunate that conversations can be and are derailed so effectively this way. I'll try to avoid the term in the future when speaking about both Clinton, Trump and others.

I edited the top comment to reflect this.

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