exaggeration is acceptable as long as the general idea is true,

Totally disagree. If the goal is to influence someone’s opinion, in any forum, then it will remain their opinion longer if it solidly fact based, without exaggeration.

even hyperbolic exaggeration.

Obvious hyperbolic statements can be very useful. They increase enjoyment for the billions of lemmy readers and make them more receptive.

Conversations don’t stop and wait for you to look up something that ultimately is at best a minor correction

However, in this format that luxury exists.

because it’s not needed and frankly its silly.

It is needed because otherwise it damages the argument.

Constantly moving goal posts in order to discredit a true fact because the way it was presented is not precise.

If you notice, my contributions have not touched any goalposts. Encouraging accuracy is not changing the argument.