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Argument from silence
Treating someone not commenting as proof of what they think.
In our replies we call it: Silence = guilt
What it means
An argument from silence says: "X didn't say anything about this, so X must secretly support it / hate it / be hiding something." Silence is turned into evidence. Reels use it constantly after big news events to attack a politician, a celebrity or a community.
How to spot it in a Reel
- "The whole world is praising him, but X didn't say a word"
- "Why is X silent?" used as if the silence proves something
- A list of people who "haven't condemned" an event
Examples
- After an athlete wins a medal, a Reel says a politician "didn't say a word", implying they don't care about the country's achievements. Often a quick search shows they did post about it.
- A Reel says a minister "stayed silent" on a tragedy, implying he doesn't care.
Why it doesn't hold up
What to say back
"Not commenting isn't proof of anything. And did they actually stay silent? Let's check."
Questions
What is an example of argument from silence?
"The celebrity didn't post about the attack, so they support the attackers."
Is silence ever evidence?
Only when someone would clearly be expected to speak and had the chance, and even then it's weak. It is never proof of a motive.
Check a Reel for this trick
Send any Reel to @checkthis.chat on Instagram. If it uses this trick, the reply names it and shows where it happens.
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