Due to the fast-paced lives people live now, efficiency is a top priority. News feeds have adapted to match this fast-paced style of living. Shorter stories, catchier titles, and appealing graphics are all meant to get everyone to click on it. These strategies are known as clickbait.
Clickbait is defined by Martin Potthast as "short messages that lure readers to click a link." The problem with clickbait is that what a reader may have clicked on may not have given the answer they desired. Clickbait titles are meant to be misleading with the intent to increase the number of people who read a story/article. Their popularity has increased due to demand for faster news consumption as well as more competition. The best way to avoid clickbait is to find reliable sources and not look for information on social media.
[1 image, 1 quotation, 2 links, 140 words]
Comments