Presenting the testimony of a source that is not an eyewitness to the event in question. It has been conclusively demonstrated that with each passing of information, via analog transmission, the message content is likely to change.
Examples:
- Lolita: Bill stole the money from the company petty cash fund. Byron: How do you know? Lolita: Because Diane told me. Byron: How does she know? Lolita: Julian told her. Byron: Did anyone actually see Bill steal the money? Lolita: I don’t know, we could ask Morris. Byron: Who’s he? Lolita: The guy who told Julian.
Synonyms: the telephone game, chinese whispers, anecdotal evidence, anecdotal fallacy/volvo fallacy [form of]