Is a CEO of a company a de facto public figure?
<p>In other words, does a CEO share the same protections as a private citizen against slander/libel if the CEO only appears to the public (in interviews, shows, etc.) as a representative of the company instead of for self-aggrandizement?</p>

<p>jurisdiction: US, FL.</p>

<h2>Generally, no</h2>

<p>A limited purpose public figure must have "thrust themselves to the forefront of particular public controversies in order to influence the resolution of the issues involved" to be a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_figure" rel="nofollow noreferrer">public figure</a>.</p>

<p>Merely being a CEO doesn’t do this. Being a CEO at the heart of controversy like Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg or Volkswagen’s Martin Winterkorn does.</p>

corporate-law libel slander