Guilt by Association

Simply put, the guilt by association logical fallacy occurs when one arguer unfairly claims that their opponent's stance is wrong because of with whom they associate. There are four well-known sub-categories that illustrate this logical fallacy. This fallacy is often considered to be a subcategory of argumentum ad hominem.

Guilt by Verbal Association

Just because someone expresses one view (or some views) that align with someone else, it doesn't mean that they agree with everything else, too.

"Oh yeah, Mr. Spagnolo? You like well-strummed folk songs because of their acoustic nature? Well, Charles Manson, the guy with a Nazi swastika carved in his forehead and the infamous leader of the Helter Skelter murder family, also liked the acoustics of well-strummed folk songs. Are you an insane psychopath, too?"

Guilt by Physical Association

Simply because one person associates with others who are, in fact, guilty of something, that person is not necessarily guilty of anything. Heck, maybe they're hanging out with these troublemakers in an effort to reform them and help them become upstanding citizens.

Example: 

Recently, four of Mr. Spagnolo's former students were arrested on automobile theft charges. Because he knows them and has spent time with them, he must also be guilty of stealing cars, too.

Innocence by Physical Association

Because one person associates with figures who are known to be innocent, they are not necessarily innocent, too.

Example: 

The four former students mentioned in the example above are associates of Mr. Spagnolo, and he is known to be 💯 innocent of any wrongdoing, ever; therefore, they must also be innocent.

Guilt by Kinship

Because one member of the family has been proven guilty does not necessarily mean that other members of the family are also guilty.


Example:


TEACHER: "Aren't you a Spagnolo? Is your brother Edward? Well, he cheated his way through my class when he was my student three years ago. I bet you're a little dishonest cheater, too. The apple couldn't have fallen too far from the tree."