The internet and social media have changed a lot of things with regards to media consumption, and the latest trend of “clickbait” headlines is causing a bit of a debate among the internet community.
In an attempt to make you read articles, sites are using tricks and alluring phrases to pull you into clicking through. Things like: “You’ll never believe what happened when…”, or “This the biggest mistake you can make… “, are playing into readers’ need-to-know, but is it fair?
“It’s social copy specifically intended to leave out information to create a curiosity gap. Some of it’s disingenuous. It’s not always, but the reader is always being manipulated,” says Jake Beckman, the man behind @SavedYouAClick, the Twitter feed devoted to “saving you from clickbait.”
Beckman also argues that Clickbait isn’t quite a recent, solely social media-driven phenomenon. “The concept of using ‘shouty journalism’ to move the needle isn’t new,” he says and cites the street corner newsies. “‘Extra, extra read all about it!’ That was trying to sensationalize a story. This [clickbait] is just the modern equivalent.”
While Beckman knows that the media is plagued with the “clickbait” phenomenon, he feels that things will eventually change as it’s purely a phase the internet generation is going through.
“It’s already harder for me to find really great examples because publishers are getting mindful and that makes me hopeful,” he says. “I think the news industry is going through digital growing pains and will come out the other side stronger and better.”
Check out the full story on The Daily Beast.
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