Public-figure determinations in libel law are enormously consequential legal decisions. The divide between public and private status for a defamation plaintiff can be – and frequently is – determinative of whether that plaintiff can succeed. Lower court rulings on how corporate plaintiffs fit into this status determination are inconsistent. Meanwhile, corporations are taking increasingly active roles in political and social controversies. This article explores the sprawling and contradictory law of corporate public figures, analyzing and critiquing lower court jurisprudence on this vital issue. The article also provides a suggested direction for clarifying the state of the law and aligning it more closely with important First Amendment values.

中文翻译：

---

公司混乱：公司公众人物的混乱法理

诽谤法中的公众人物决定是极为重要的法律决定。诽谤原告的公共和私人身份之间的差异可以（通常是）确定该原告能否成功。下级法院关于公司原告如何适应这种地位确定的裁决是不一致的。同时，公司在政治和社会争议中扮演着越来越积极的角色。本文探讨了企业公众人物的庞大而矛盾的法律，在这个重要问题上对下级法院的判例进行了分析和批判。文章还提供了一个建议的方向，以阐明法律状态并使其与重要的《第一修正案》价值更紧密地保持一致。