When you click on our advertisements and purchase products or services through our links we earn a small commission.

Partisan For The People

Explore policy-driven and pro-democracy insights with our dedicated category. Engage in thoughtful discussions, analyses, and solutions centered on political policies and the democratic process. Empower your understanding and advocacy with our curated collection of pro-democracy and policy-oriented political content.

10 Examples of a False Dilemma Fallacy

10 Examples of a False Dilemma Fallacy

Fallacies of logic, such as ad hominem, straw man, and false dilemma, can play a significant role in spreading disinformation. These fallacies are often used to manipulate and deceive people by distorting the truth and presenting false or misleading information. By using these fallacies, those spreading disinformation can cloud the issues at hand and make it difficult for people to differentiate between facts and fiction. This can lead to confusion and mistrust, and can ultimately erode the public’s faith in institutions, democracy and the media. These fallacies can also be used to influence public opinion and decision making, and to create division and mistrust among different groups of people. Thus it’s important to be aware of these fallacies and how they are used to spread disinformation.

10 Examples of an Ad Hominem Logical Fallacy

10 Examples of an Ad Hominem Logical Fallacy

Fallacies of logic, such as the ad hominem fallacy, can play a significant role in spreading disinformation. By attacking the character or credibility of a source rather than addressing the evidence or logic of their argument, disinformation can be spread by discrediting the source or dismissing their claims as false or biased. Fallacies of logic can also be used to create false narratives and sow confusion, making it difficult for people to separate fact from fiction. Additionally, fallacies can be used to manipulate people by appealing to their emotions rather than their reason. Fallacies of logic can be a powerful tool for spreading disinformation, as it can make it difficult for people to identify and reject false information.

The Most Common Logical Fallacies Associated with Public Disinformation

The Most Common Logical Fallacies Associated with Public Disinformation

Since Fox News is in court defending itself in a $1.6B defamation lawsuit for misleading the public on the integrity of US elections… it’s a good time to go over logical fallacies that commonly occur on “news” channels spreading disinformation to their viewers. Unless you studied Logic & Reasoning in college, it’s likely you’ve never heard of these. We break down the most common ones in an easy-to understand article. Learn from us and see if you can recognize them the next time you turn on your favorite “news” channel.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Human Error, Not Fraud, Shown in Fox Election Coverage of Georgia Runoff

In a clip from Fox News’ coverage of the Georgia Senate runoff, the vote tallies for both candidates briefly drop by thousands of votes. Social media posts use the clip to falsely claim election fraud. The Associated Press, which provided the data to Fox, said the clip shows a brief overestimate of votes caused by human error.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Inaccurate TV Graphic Sparks Erroneous Claims of Election Fraud in Pennsylvania

Social media posts falsely suggest there was fraud in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race, citing a TV graphic that showed Republican State Sen. Doug Mastriano with nearly 500,000 more votes than Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro, but Mastriano trailing 41.6% to 56.6%. The graphic showed inaccurate numbers that were quickly corrected on air.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Posts Misrepresent How Florida Arrived at Quick Election Results

Florida law allows election officials to start counting early in-person and mail-in ballots before Election Day. But social media posts falsely claim Florida counted all of its more than 7 million votes in five hours on Election Day and states that took longer committed “voter fraud.” Most states don’t allow vote counting to begin until Election Day or after polls close.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Ballot Processing Continues in Closely Watched States Amid Unfounded Claims of Fraud

Close Senate races are underway in some states that have different laws regarding ballot deadlines and tabulation. But some high-profile Republicans — including former President Donald Trump — have suggested, without any evidence, that “they” are trying to “cheat.” Officials in those states say they are simply trying to count every legitimate vote.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Ballot Printer Delayed Maricopa Voting, Contrary to Unfounded Claims

Tabulating machines at some polling locations in Maricopa County, Arizona, couldn’t process ballots during part of Election Day, though affected voters could leave their ballots in a secure box or go elsewhere to vote. But some conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, made the unfounded claim that the setback indicated an attempt to “steal” the election.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Counting Mail-In Ballots Delays Results, But Doesn’t Denote Fraud

Mail-in ballots have become a popular way to vote in the U.S. But the unfounded claim persists that mail ballots lead to rampant fraud and, if counted after Election Day, they are suspect. By law, many states don’t start counting mail ballots until after polls close, and some continue to accept them for days after Election Day if they are postmarked by that date.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Trump Ignored Aides, Repeated False Fraud Claims

At the second hearing of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, former President Donald Trump’s top aides testified that they told him his claims of election fraud were baseless. What Trump characterized as “fraud” was just part of the “normal process,” as former Attorney General William Barr said in one instance.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Evidence Gaps in ‘2000 Mules

A conservative film now playing in select theaters around the country isn’t “determinative, definitive” proof of widespread voter fraud, as former President Donald Trump has claimed.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Republican TV Ad Makes False Claim About ‘Dead’ Voters

An illegal ballot cast on behalf of a deceased voter is rare, and we could find no examples of it occurring in Michigan in 2020 or 2016. Yet, a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan falsely claims in a TV ad that “dead people always vote Democrat,” and misleadingly suggests it is a widespread problem in his state.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

TV Ad Attacking Brian Kemp Makes Unsubstantiated Georgia Election Claim

The Georgia secretary of state’s office is investigating a conservative watchdog group’s claims of illegal “ballot harvesting” in the state during the November 2020 general election and a special election runoff in January 2021. But the pending investigation is not evidence that “widespread illegal ballot harvesting” elected Georgia’s two Democratic U.S. senators, as a conservative super PAC’s TV ad claims.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Exposing the Holes in a California Recall Election Conspiracy Theory

Videos on social media suggest that holes in the return envelopes being used for mail-in ballots in California were designed to allow election officials to peek inside and toss out ballots in favor of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom. Officials say the holes serve two useful purposes, including helping the vision impaired to sign the ballot envelope in private.

Fact-Checks | Election Disinformation | Voter Fraud | Trump Lost

Debunking Trump’s Latest Arizona Election Claims

After a contractor hired by state Senate Republicans to look into the results of the 2020 Arizona election provided an update on its findings at a legislative hearing on July 15, former President Donald Trump issued a series of false and misleading statements about what it has uncovered.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW