Whataboutism

Whataboutism deflects criticism by pointing to another person's wrongdoing or inconsistency. The counteraccusation may deserve discussion, but it does not answer the original concern. Each claim should be evaluated on its own evidence instead of used to cancel another.

Answering criticism with a counteraccusation instead of addressing it.

What It Means

Whataboutism responds to criticism by pointing at another person's wrongdoing, hypocrisy, or failure.

The comparison may identify a separate problem, but it does not establish whether the original criticism is true or false.

Common Signals

The response begins with “What about…” and changes the subject to someone else.
A possible double standard is used to avoid answering the underlying claim.
The other case is examined in detail while the original conduct remains unaddressed.
Unrelated examples of wrongdoing are collected as if one problem cancels another.

How to Respond

Acknowledge the comparison, then ask for a direct response to the original claim.
Evaluate both cases separately using the same standard.
Do not let inconsistency distract from whether the first criticism is supported.