Attack on Reputation
Techniques that target the person or institution making a claim instead of the claim.
5,188 instances recorded across 5 techniques.
Techniques in this category
| Technique | Instances |
|---|---|
| Name Calling/Labeling Attaching a negative label to a person or group so that the label does the work an argument would otherwise have to do. | 2,519 |
| Doubt Casting suspicion on a source's credibility without offering grounds for the suspicion. | 1,023 |
| Guilt by Association Discrediting a position by linking it to a disliked person or group rather than engaging with it. | 1,270 |
| Appeal to Hypocrisy Deflecting a criticism by charging the critic with inconsistency, leaving the original point unanswered. | 220 |
| Questioning the Reputation Attacking the character of the person making an argument instead of the argument. | 156 |
Recent examples
"Netanyahu’s office has, however, appeared to question the reports of the attack on the Europeans, saying on X that they are 'alleged' and require 'compelling evidence', despite acknowledging that published footage of the incident exists."
Highlights how Netanyahu’s office casts doubt on well-documented incidents (including video evidence) by labeling them as 'alleged' and demanding 'compelling evidence,' thereby undermining the credibility of the victims and witnesses without providing counter-evidence.
A timeline of West Bank attacks on Palestinians and foreign officials"Netanyahu, you are the liar with the blood of Palestinian children on your hands."
Directly associates Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu with the deaths of Palestinian children, implying moral and causal responsibility without presenting evidence of his direct involvement in specific acts of violence. This technique links him to a grave moral wrong to discredit his credibility and character.
A timeline of West Bank attacks on Palestinians and foreign officials"lamentable"
Jordan Bardella uses the term 'lamentable' to describe Macron’s speech, which serves to dismiss it as inadequate and weak without engaging with its content, functioning as a negative label to undermine authority.
‘Anger and shame’: Macron denounces France’s nationwide rioting, looting"cowardly"
Describing Macron’s speech as 'cowardly' attributes a negative personal trait to the president, aiming to discredit his leadership and moral courage rather than critique policy, thus qualifying as name calling.
‘Anger and shame’: Macron denounces France’s nationwide rioting, looting"anti-ICE rhetoric from far-left candidates"
Groups Rep. Omar’s alleged misconduct with broader 'far-left' political positions, implicitly associating her with a politically charged label to undermine her standing regardless of the investigation's outcome.
Homan says Ilhan Omar could be stripped of naturalization, deported if immigration fraud is proven"the status quo under the Biden-Harris administration"
The phrase labels the previous administration’s policy with a dismissive and politically charged term—'the status quo'—implying stagnation, complacency, and dysfunction. This functions as a negative label that delegitimizes the prior approach without engaging with its specifics, associating it with failure through repetition and tone.
Former Border Patrol chief recalls Biden migrant surge chaos as Trump crackdown delivers historic turnaround