"Actual malice" is a legal standard used in defamation cases, particularly involving public figures. It refers to the knowledge that a statement is false or the reckless disregard for whether it is true or false. This means that the person making the statement either knew it was untrue or acted with a significant lack of concern for the truth. To prove actual malice, the plaintiff must show that the defendant had a high degree of awareness of the statement's falsity or acted with a disregard for the truth. This standard was established in the landmark case of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan in 1964, which aimed to protect free speech while balancing the rights of individuals against false statements.