Ad Hominem
Attacking the person instead of the argument
Definition
Ad hominem is a propaganda technique that attacks the character, motives, or personal qualities of a person making an argument rather than engaging with the argument itself. In media, it is used to discredit sources, whistleblowers, critics, and political opponents without addressing the substance of their claims.
How It Works in Media
Instead of evaluating whether a criticism or claim is valid, coverage focuses on the person making it — their background, personal life, alleged motives, or past mistakes. The implicit message: you should not listen to this person because of who they are, not because of what they are saying.
Motive-questioning is a common variant: 'Why is this person saying this? What do they have to gain?' These are valid questions for context, but when they replace substantive engagement with the argument, they become ad hominem deflection.
Media ad hominem often targets whistleblowers, journalists, and activists by characterizing them as 'disgruntled,' 'controversial,' 'attention-seeking,' or 'divisive' — labels that poison the audience's perception before the person's actual claims are presented.
Real-World Example
A whistleblower releases documents showing corporate misconduct. Instead of investigating the documents, multiple outlets run profiles questioning the whistleblower's motives, personal history, and character. Headlines focus on the person rather than the revelations: 'Controversial Figure Behind Leak Has Troubled Past.' The documents themselves receive minimal coverage compared to the character attacks.
The ad hominem shifts the story from 'are these documents true?' to 'is this person trustworthy?' — a much easier question to weaponize. Once the messenger is discredited, the message can be safely ignored. This is why ad hominem attacks on whistleblowers and critics are so effective — and so dangerous for public accountability.
How to Spot It
- Ask: is this coverage evaluating the argument or the person making it?
- Look for character labels: 'controversial,' 'disgruntled,' 'divisive,' 'radical.'
- Check if the person's actual claims are addressed substantively anywhere in the article.
- Notice when personal history is presented as relevant without explaining why it is relevant.
- Ask: would this criticism be valid regardless of who made it?
Why It Matters
Ad hominem attacks are how the powerful discredit the people trying to hold them accountable. When media focuses on the messenger rather than the message, it protects institutions, governments, and corporations from the scrutiny that accountability journalism demands. Every time a whistleblower's character is attacked instead of their revelations being investigated, ad hominem has done its job.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ad hominem attack in media?
An ad hominem attack in media is when coverage focuses on discrediting the person making a claim — their character, motives, personal history, or alleged biases — rather than evaluating the substance of their argument. It is commonly used against whistleblowers, critics, and political opponents to discredit their claims without having to address them.
How is ad hominem used against whistleblowers?
When whistleblowers release damaging information, media often shifts focus from the revelations to the whistleblower's character. Coverage profiles their personal life, questions their motives, and applies labels like 'disgruntled' or 'controversial.' This shifts the question from 'are these revelations true?' to 'is this person trustworthy?' — protecting the institution being exposed.