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The tricks Reels use on you
29 persuasion techniques behind viral political and news Reels, explained in plain words with examples from every side. They're the same ones checkthis names when it checks a Reel.
Accusing by question ("just asking questions")
Asking a loaded question to plant a claim it never has to prove.
Appeal to authority
Using someone's status instead of evidence.
Argument from silence
Treating someone not commenting as proof of what they think.
Bandwagon
Saying everyone believes it, so you should too.
Casting doubt
Questioning someone's credibility without evidence.
Cherry-picking
Showing the facts that fit and leaving out those that don't.
Conversation-stopper
Using a cliché to shut down further thought.
Deliberate vagueness
Staying vague so the claim can't be checked.
Exaggeration
Inflating the facts beyond what the evidence shows.
Extreme comparison
Comparing opponents to the worst villains to discredit them.
False choice
Pretending there are only two options.
False equivalence
Treating two very different things as if they were the same.
Fear appeal
Using fear to push a conclusion.
Flag-waving
Wrapping an argument in patriotism so disagreeing feels disloyal.
Guilt by association
Judging someone by the views or acts of people linked to them.
Irrelevant identity
Highlighting religion, caste or nationality where it has no bearing.
Loaded language
Using emotionally charged words to steer your reaction.
Name-calling
Using a label to make you reject someone without reasons.
One person = everyone
Judging a whole group by one person's act.
Out-of-context clip
Cutting a video so it seems to say something the full version doesn't.
Oversimplified cause
Pinning a complex outcome on one cause.
Personal attack (ad hominem)
Attacking the person instead of what they said.
Red herring
Changing the subject to distract from the question.
Repetition
Repeating a line until it feels true.
Scapegoating
Blaming one group for a problem with many causes.
Slogans
Replacing an argument with a catchy line.
Strawman
Attacking a distorted version of what the other side said.
Us vs them
Splitting people into a good "us" and a bad "them".
Whataboutism
Answering a criticism by pointing at someone else's wrongs instead.
Got a Reel in mind?
Send it to @checkthis.chat. The reply names the trick it uses and quotes where it happens.
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