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Online discussions can quickly escalate into heated “flame wars” due to ad hom attacks, which attack the speaker’s character rather than the topic. Ad hominem arguments are considered a fallacy, but can still sway opinions. Ad hom attacks can damage a participant’s credibility and reputation, and may be launched by cyberbullies or trolls. It’s best to avoid discussions with ad hom attacks, and victims have the right to seek action against offenders.
Many discussion groups and online chat rooms have found, much to their regret, that participants don’t always behave in a civilized manner. Discussions about hot-button issues like politics, sports, or religion can suddenly escalate into heated discussions called flame wars in Internet parlance. One of the major weapons used during these conflicts is known as the ad hom attack. An ad hom attack is an attempt to win an argument by attacking the speaker’s character, rather than the topic under discussion. Many online discussion groups expressly forbid the use of ad hom attacks, as they often lead to uncontrollable fire wars.
The term ad hom is a shortened version of the Latin phrase ad hominem, which literally means “to man.” In the classic sense of philosophical discussion, an ad hominem argument is considered a fallacy, in the sense that it is an incorrect response to a logical statement. This does not mean, however, that an ad hominem argument is always ineffective. If the ad hominem argument rings truer than the issue itself, opinions may still be swayed. If a politician says, “This city’s crime rate is too high,” for example, his opponent might say, “Who should know more about the crime rate of a convicted felon?” This would be an ad hominem argument, since the character of the speaker is being questioned, not the issue itself.
In the modern sense of an ad hom attack, the issue at hand may be completely irrelevant. Many veterans of fire wars on forums consider any attacks against a poster personal to be of an ad hom nature. The forum can become a platform for a growing series of vicious and personal attacks. Attempts to enforce rules against ad hom attacks often fail to restore order during a flame war. Only after the main participants have run out can the board return to some semblance of order. This is why many board administrators and moderators remove posts at the first sign of an ad hom attack.
One of the main dangers of an ad hom attack is the damage it can cause to a participant’s credibility or reputation. Unless an admin or moderator promptly removes inflammatory ad hom threads, allegations against a member’s personal character may be read by other members. In some cases, the information used in an ad hom attack can have serious real-world repercussions. An ad hom attack is often launched by a cyberbully or Internet “troll” who enjoys the attention such ad hom attacks generate.
Other people carrying out an ad hom attack may be seeking personal retaliation against a specific participant, which means they may be using private information as part of the attack. In any case, it’s always best to avoid online discussions containing ad hom attacks, as they tend to escalate quickly. If you find yourself the victim of an ad hom attack, you have the right to seek action against the offender and to remove any post containing personal information from public view.
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