Just asking questions is influencing the audience by framing the assertions as questions rather than statements.
Just asking questions is a common flat-Earthers’ ploy. These are not questions being asked out of genuine curiosity but statements disguised as questions. They are not seeking the answers and expect nobody will be able to answer them. If someone can give the answers to the questions, they will not appreciate it.
Just asking questions shifts the burden of proof to their opponents, often in their own presentation and without giving a chance for the opponents to respond. How the questions being asked can give the impression to the unknowing audience that the opponents cannot answer the question, and therefore, the opponents ‘ position is discredited.
In reality, though, practically all of the “questions” that flat-Earthers ask can be easily answered. The problem is whether the answers can reach the unknowing audience that the unscrupulous flat-Earthers are targetting.
References
- The problem with “just asking questions” – The Logic of Science
- No, you’re not ‘just asking questions.’ You’re spreading disinformation. – Minnesota Reformer
- Just asking questions – Rational Wiki