US state guide
This guide is general information about the law in Alaska, checked against the sources listed below on November 1, 2026. It is not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different: for advice on your situation, speak to a licensed attorney in Alaska.
01Defamation law in Alaska
Where the law comes from
Alaska defamation law comes from court decisions, which rely on the Restatement (Second) of Torts, rather than from a dedicated defamation statute. A plaintiff must prove a false and defamatory statement, an unprivileged publication to a third party, fault amounting to at least negligence, and either per se actionability or special harm.
Is defamation a crime?
Alaska once treated libel and slander as a misdemeanor under former AS 11.15.310-.330. In 1978 the Alaska Supreme Court held those provisions unconstitutionally vague and overbroad and reversed a conviction under them. Defamation in Alaska is now pursued through civil lawsuits, which are subject to the deadline in AS 09.10.070.
Sources2Gottschalk v. State, 575 P.2d 289 (Alaska 1978)3Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070 (Alaska Legislature)
Statute of limitations
An action for libel or slander must be commenced within two years after the claim accrues. For libel, the period normally starts when the statement is published, meaning communicated to a third party.
Sources3Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070(a) (Alaska Legislature)4Chiei v. Stern, 561 P.2d 1216 (Alaska 1977)
Defamation per se
Alaska recognizes defamation per se, which lets a plaintiff recover without proving special harm. The words must be so clear that they can reasonably be read only one way, with a natural tendency to injure reputation; for example, an accusation of serious sexual misconduct or criminal activity was held defamatory per se.
Anti-SLAPP protection
Alaska lawmakers have not passed an anti-SLAPP law. A defendant who wins a defamation case can still be awarded part of its attorney's fees under Alaska Civil Rule 82, as happened in cases the Reporters Committee highlights.
Defenses and public figures
Because falsity is an element of the claim, a true statement is not actionable defamation. A statement can be conditionally privileged when the speaker reasonably believes it affects a sufficiently important interest of the listener and sharing it fits generally accepted standards of decent conduct. Public figures must prove actual malice, meaning the speaker knew the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for whether it was false.
Sources1French v. Jadon, Inc., 911 P.2d 20 (Alaska 1996)6Mount Juneau Enterprises, Inc. v. Juneau Empire, 891 P.2d 829 (Alaska 1995)
02Online harassment, cyberstalking and doxxing in Alaska
Cyberstalking
Second-degree stalking (AS 11.41.270) covers knowingly engaging in repeated nonconsensual contact that recklessly puts someone in fear of death or physical injury to themselves or a family member. Sending mail or electronic communications to the person counts as contact. It is a class A misdemeanor.
Online harassment
Under AS 11.61.120, second-degree harassment includes, when done with intent to harass or annoy, sending an obscene electronic communication or one that threatens physical injury or sexual contact, and repeatedly sending or publishing electronic messages that insult, taunt, challenge or intimidate a person under 18 in a way that puts them in reasonable fear of physical injury. It is a class B misdemeanor.
Intimate images shared without consent
AS 11.61.120(a)(6) makes it second-degree harassment, a class B misdemeanor, to publish or distribute photos or films showing another person's genitals, anus or female breast, or showing that person in a sexual act, with intent to harass or annoy them. A separate offense, AS 11.61.116, covers distributing such an image of someone taken when they were under 16.
Sources8Alaska Stat. § 11.61.120 (Alaska Legislature)9Alaska Stat. § 11.61.116 (Alaska Legislature)
03How to remove defamatory content in Alaska
How to remove defamatory content in Alaska
A lawsuit is one route, but it is slow, costly and public. Much harmful content can come down sooner through the platform’s own reporting process, a legal notice to the site owner or host, or a removal request to search engines. The right route depends on where the content lives and on the law that applies to it.
Media Removal reviews each case and recommends the fastest route that fits it. Removal always depends on each platform and, where relevant, the courts.
04Frequently asked questions about defamation in Alaska
How long do you have to sue for defamation in Alaska?
Alaska law generally requires libel and slander lawsuits to be filed within two years. For libel, the period usually starts when the statement is communicated to someone other than the person it is about. Deadlines can turn on the facts, so a lawyer should confirm the date in a specific case.
Is defamation a crime in Alaska?
Not under current law. In 1978 the Alaska Supreme Court struck down the state's criminal libel statute as vague and overbroad, so defamation is handled through civil lawsuits.
Does Alaska have an anti-SLAPP law?
No. Alaska lawmakers have not passed an anti-SLAPP statute. A defendant who wins may still be awarded part of their attorney's fees under Alaska Civil Rule 82.
What do you have to prove to win a defamation case in Alaska?
A plaintiff must show a false and defamatory statement, an unprivileged publication to a third party, at least negligence by the speaker, and either special harm or a statement that is defamatory per se. Public figures must also prove actual malice.
Is sharing intimate images without consent illegal in Alaska?
It can be. Publishing or distributing images that show another person's intimate parts or sexual activity, with intent to harass or annoy them, is second-degree harassment under AS 11.61.120.
05Defamation laws in nearby states
06Sources
- French v. Jadon, Inc., 911 P.2d 20 (Alaska 1996)
- Gottschalk v. State, 575 P.2d 289 (Alaska 1978)
- Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070 (Alaska Legislature)
- Chiei v. Stern, 561 P.2d 1216 (Alaska 1977)
- RCFP Anti-SLAPP Legal Guide: Alaska
- Mount Juneau Enterprises, Inc. v. Juneau Empire, 891 P.2d 829 (Alaska 1995)
- Alaska Stat. § 11.41.270 (Alaska Legislature)
- Alaska Stat. § 11.61.120 (Alaska Legislature)
- Alaska Stat. § 11.61.116 (Alaska Legislature)