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Tu Quoque Fallacy
Also known as: You too fallacy, Appeal to hypocrisy
A plain-English guide to the tu quoque fallacy, the hypocrisy deflection, and how LogicLens can help surface this pattern in online arguments.
What it means
Tu quoque happens when someone avoids a criticism by accusing the critic of hypocrisy. The accusation may be true, but it does not answer the original point.
Why it matters
Hypocrisy claims can be relevant to trust, but they often distract from whether the criticism itself is accurate.
LogicLens helps readers detect and review signals associated with tu quoque fallacy and many related article-level patterns, including weak reasoning, loaded wording, missing context, framing, sourcing gaps, and manipulative persuasion.
Common signs
- The response begins with a version of 'you did it too.'
- The original claim is not evaluated.
- The reader is pushed to judge the critic instead of the issue.
Example
A report says a company wastes energy. The company responds that the newspaper also uses a lot of electricity.
Reader check
Separate two questions: is the critic consistent, and is the criticism true?
FAQ
What is Tu Quoque Fallacy?
Tu quoque happens when someone avoids a criticism by accusing the critic of hypocrisy. The accusation may be true, but it does not answer the original point.
Can LogicLens help detect tu quoque fallacy?
LogicLens is built to help readers detect and review signals associated with this pattern and related forms of weak reasoning, loaded wording, missing context, framing, and manipulative persuasion in online content.
How do I spot tu quoque fallacy while reading?
Separate two questions: is the critic consistent, and is the criticism true?