fallacy

False equivalence

Also called: False balance, Comparing apples and oranges

False equivalence treats two things as equal because they share some feature, while ignoring large differences in scale, kind or evidence.

How it works

A real but minor similarity is used to suggest the two are morally or factually the same. In news coverage it can appear as "both sides" framing when the evidence strongly favours one side.

Examples

"Both candidates have made mistakes, so they're equally unfit for office."

Mistakes differ greatly in seriousness; the comparison erases the difference.

"A few scientists disagree, so the evidence is split fifty-fifty."

A small minority view is presented as equal in weight to a broad consensus.

How to spot it

"They're both..." or "it's no different from...".
The shared feature is small compared with the differences.
Scale and evidence are not mentioned.

How to respond

Ask how the two compare in size, intent and evidence.
List the relevant differences as well as the similarity.
Use numbers where possible to show proportion.