sealioning

What does sealioning mean?

Sealioning is a critical term for a form of trolling that involves relentlessly pestering someone with questions and requests (such as for evidence or sources), typically with the goal of upsetting them and making their position or viewpoint seem weak or unreasonable.

The verb form sealion (or sea lion) is also used.

These terms are typically applied to online contexts, such as social media, forums, and message boards (although it can also happen offline).

Sealioning often involves giving off the impression of sincere curiosity and an open mind, using polite-sounding language, and framing the questioning as part of honest intellectual debate. However, the real goal of such behavior is to irritate the other person until that person gets angry or upset, thus allowing the questioner to portray themselves as a victim as an attempt to diminish a position or viewpoint they disagree with.

Here’s a hypothetical example of behavior considered sealioning: A person replies to a post about climate change by repeatedly and incessantly requesting that the poster prove basic scientific concepts. Regardless of whether the poster responds, the replier relentlessly continues to pose additional questions, possibly even doing so on other social media platforms. The replier typically does not stop until they are blocked or it is clear that they have upset their target.

Example: Scientists with prominent social media presences know that sealioning is a very common way for trolls to try to fluster them and waste their time.