Proofbait

Proofbait, also Sourcebait, Evidencebait, Factbait, is a mix of proofpost and sciencebait that consists of demanding proof, sources, evidence, or facts not as a genuine request for information but as a bait tactic to provoke engagement, delay discussion, or derail argument. Proofbait is the rhetorical equivalent of "prove it" repeated endlessly, regardless of how much proof is provided. Each proof is met with a new demand—a different kind of proof, a more authoritative source, a more recent study, a more rigorous methodology. The goal is not to find truth but to exhaust the interlocutor, to make conversation so laborious that opponents give up. Proofbait is especially effective on platforms where appearing rational matters—the baiter looks like a reasonable skeptic, while the target exhausts themselves providing ever more evidence to someone who never intended to be convinced.

Example: "She provided a source for her claim. He proofbaited: 'That source is biased.' She provided a different source. 'That's too old.' Another source. 'That study has limitations.' Another. 'Can you find a meta-analysis?' After ten rounds, she realized the proof was never enough—proofbait had been the point. He wasn't seeking evidence; he was seeking exhaustion."

by Dumu The Void February 18, 2026

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