What is the Difference Between Bribery and Blackmail?

Bribery and blackmail are two different concepts under criminal law. The main difference between the two lies in the means used to influence someone's actions:

• Bribery involves offering, giving, or promising something of value to another person, usually a public official, to influence their actions, induce them to do something illegal, or violate their duties. Bribery is typically characterized by the exchange of something of value between two willing participants.
• Blackmail is a crime where the perpetrator knows something about a victim that the victim does not want to be revealed, and then offers to stay silent about this knowledge in return for some sort of favor, or for money or other assets. Blackmail involves the use of threats to influence someone's actions and is considered a form of extortion.

In summary, bribery and blackmail differ in their methods of influencing actions: bribery uses the exchange of something of value, while blackmail uses threats.

Comparative Table: Bribery vs Blackmail

Here is a table summarizing the differences between bribery and blackmail:

In summary, bribery involves offering money or valuables to influence an official act or decision, while blackmail involves threatening to reveal secret information in exchange for money or another valuable consideration. Both parties are willing participants in bribery, whereas blackmail involves one party threatening the other.