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Guilt by association
Judging someone by the views or acts of people linked to them.
In our replies we call it: Guilty by link
What it means
Guilt by association condemns a person because of someone they met, stood next to, worked with or were photographed with.
How to spot it in a Reel
- Old photos of two people together as "proof"
- "He once shared a stage with..."
- A whole organisation blamed for one member
Examples
- A Reel shows a photo of a journalist with a controversial figure to discredit their reporting.
- A Reel blames a party for a crime because the accused once attended its rally.
Why it doesn't hold up
Meeting or appearing with someone isn't agreeing with them. Judge people by what they themselves did.
What to say back
"What did this person themselves do or say?"
Questions
Is a photo together evidence of anything?
Rarely. Politicians and public figures are photographed with thousands of people.
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.
Send a Reel