Understanding and Avoiding Clickbait
Unfortunately, we’ve all seen examples of clickbait, those sensationalized or enticing "headlines" that appear on some websites:
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- 7 Steps to Insane Wealth
- What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You
- The Truth Behind Laser and Radar Detectors!
While some clickbait is just annoying, other types can be misleading and harmful.
Knowing how to avoid clickbait starts with understanding it.
What is Clickbait?
Merriam-Webster defines clickbait as "something (such as a headline) designed to make readers want to click on a hyperlink, especially when the link leads to content of dubious value or interest." According to Google, clickbait is "Ads that claim to reveal secrets, scandals or other sensationalist information about the product or service being advertised…"
While definitions vary a bit, clickbait is basically a manipulation created by advertisers to get you to click on a link. Clicks matter because companies pay for advertising based on the number of clicks an ad receives. Those clicks drive viewers to their websites. More clicks mean more money for advertisers and marketers.
When you click on a clickbait link, sometimes the promised information is there but often it’s not or not in the sensationalized way you were led to expect. For example, The Truth Behind Lasers and Radar Detectors link mentioned earlier could lead to information about these devices. Or, it could just be an ad for radar detectors poorly disguised as a news article. Frequently, clickbait is used by advertisers to track you as a user and serve up ads that appeal to you based on your browsing behavior. More on that below.
Where you might find Clickbait
If your online ventures are limited to reading The New York Times or Wall Street Journal and checking the weather, you might not encounter clickbait. But stray over to social media, various local news sites, magazines or blogs, and you will see it. It may appear in the form of links at the bottom of your screen (example below) or you might even receive pop-up ads featuring click bait.
If you click on links in the example photo above, you may learn what the 20 most expensive dog breeds are or which actors didn’t want to kiss onscreen. However, just be aware that related ads will stalk you all over the internet for months or even years to come. In an effort to show you ads that are relevant to you, advertisers use tracking technology to follow your browsing and see what ads you click on. They store that information and sell it to other advertisers. So you may see ads or even receive email with related content. This can be annoying, but not physically harmful.
Unfortunately, the picture showing a boy pouring hand sanitizer in his ear along with the headline about tinnitus (ringing in the ear) is an example of clickbait that can be more dangerous. Many health-related clickbait links are worrisome because they encourage people to self-medicate or treat conditions with unproven remedies rather than seeking medical attention. This is especially concerning during a global pandemic when people have been known to share stories about unproven transmission routes or false cures.
How to Avoid Clickbait
While clickbait began as a way to generate more page views and revenue for advertisers, it’s now falling out of favor. Facebook uses an algorithm to find clickbait and bury it, and the sites that promote it. Google has demoted clickbait in search results for years and in 2020 banned it completely under the search engine’s Misrepresentation policy.
While those measures are helpful, clickbait has certainly not disappeared. The junk mail of the internet is still around and it’s still something best avoided. Here are some tips for doing that:
Use an ad blocker. Adblock Plus, uBlock Origin, and Poper Blocker are three popular software tools that block these ads. Not only will they block pop-up ads but also most of the kind of clickbait discussed above.
Check the sources. If you find yourself facing a bank of links like the one above and wondering if it’s clickbait, check the sources, which are listed between the image and the headline.
Look them up on Google to learn more. Using this example, you might find that Ranker is a website devoted to lists, Wikibuy is a coupon app, and Investing.com sells investments and investment advice.
Pay attention. Slow down and ask yourself if what’s being touted really seems plausible or true. In the end, the simplest way to avoid clickbait is to look for the words "sponsored content," "from our advertisers," or something similar. The Federal Trade Commission requires advertisers to include that label so consumers can tell news from advertising.
Why Clickbait Persists
There is actually a bit of science behind why clickbait is so compelling. For one, our brains are hardwired to avoid ambiguity. When links plant a question such as "Secrets Your Doctor isn’t Telling You" your brain automatically wants to know this unknown information.
Additionally there’s the fear of missing out or FOMO. Studies have shown that humans experience a spike of dopamine, the feel-good hormone, when checking social media. Conversely, we feel worry and dread when we think we might miss out on the latest information. So, we take the bait. However, once we understand what click bait is and how to avoid it, we can break the cycle.
In summary, clickbait is:
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- Sensationalist, overhyped, and otherwise manipulative
- Often found under "sponsored links" or "sponsored stories" at the bottom of a web page
- Sometimes dangerous or debunked information
- Required by the Federal Trade Commission to be labeled as advertising