10 Sneaky Tricks Propaganda Uses to Win Your Mind And How to Spot Them
Repetition: Saying the same thing over and over so people start to believe it. Example: Trump claiming over and over that the 2020 election was stolen from him, sowing seeds of doubt in his followers.
Appeal to Fear: Scaring people to make them agree or act a certain way. Example: "Without our protection, your personal data is at risk — hackers are waiting to steal your identity!"
Bandwagon: Saying “everyone is doing it, so you should too.” Example: “Run don't walk, everyone's buying this new viral lip plumper, it really works!”
Straw Man is a propaganda and argument technique where someone twists or oversimplifies another person’s argument to make it easier to attack or ridicule, then they argue against that weaker version instead of the real point. Example: Person A: “We should have limits on social media to reduce misinformation” Person B: “Person A wants to control everything we say online and take away free speech!”
Glittering Generalities: Using fancy words that sound good but don’t explain much. Example: Saying a product is “revolutionary” or “life-changing” without details or proof.
Testimonial: Using a famous person to say something is true or good. Example: A celebrity endorsing a skincare brand.
Plain Folks: Pretending to be just like regular people to gain trust. Example: Kylie Jenner filming makeup videos in her car using a handheld camera so her video seems more spontaneous and less professional, therefore making her seem more "every day" and therefore accessible.
Card Stacking/Cherry Picking: Only sharing facts that support one side and hiding the rest. Example: A health article might use one study to show a certain food has health benefits, but ignores other studies that show potential risks or no effect.
Transfer: Using a popular symbol or idea to make something seem better. Example: A car commercial shows the vehicle driving past iconic landmarks or uses national flags and patriotic music, making viewers associate the car with pride and national identity, even though the car itself has nothing directly to do with those symbols.
False Choice: Saying there are only two options when there might be more. Example: “You’re either with us or against us” in a political campaign.
