# Whataboutism
In debate, a *whataboutism* is a fallacy of responding to an accusation or difficult question by making a counter-accusation or raising a different issue as a means of distracting from the issue at hand. This type of argument is very common in online discussions.

See also [thought-terminating cliches](../concepts/thought-terminating-cliches.md) and [high control group](../concepts/high-control-group.md).

## References
1. O’Connell, Eoin. "Whataboutery." International Journal of Applied Philosophy 34, no. 2 (2020): 243-254.
1. Battaly, Heather. "Varieties of epistemic vice." The ethics of belief (2014): 51-76.