this post was submitted on 27 Apr 2025
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Typical pattern: "Scientists find something strange when they look at a common whatever - and it's not good!"

This kind of crap used to be the style of little blurbs at the side or the bottom of an article, but it's in the headlines now. Until you click the headline you don't even really know what the article is about anymore - just the general topic area, with maybe a fear trigger.

Clicking on the headline is going to display ads, but at that point the goal isn't to get you to buy anything yet, it's just to generate ad impressions, which the content provider gets paid for regardless of whether you even see the ads. It's a weird meta-revenue created by the delivery mechanism, and it has altered the substance of headlines, and our expectations of what "headline" even means.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago

Predominantly? Seems to be 100% and many times they are contradicted by the article. At this point I assume a fear headline is overblown bullshit. Also health headlines are always the same crap repeated over and over.

which the content provider gets paid for regardless of whether you even see the ads.

I don't understand why businesses waste their money on buying these garbage ads. Pissing away their ad dollars.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 hours ago

You won't believe what this person thinks of our headlines

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 hours ago

That's why I stopped reading the news. Instead I get my news here and I have to interpret what they mean for me locally. Its extremely bullshit. Now orange man has bit into NPR and PBS. When that institution disappears, I won't have a leg to stand on. I'll be a mindless robot going to work. Suddenly they come and tag one of my balls with a chip because they said they would but nobody was there to tell us.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago

omg do i hate that. especial those commentators who want to claim something was politically devastating when we all know no one gave a shit.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 hours ago (4 children)

want to read news
don't want to pay for news
news start to use ads to get money
ads pay for clicks
complain about clickbait news

-- average internet user

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

In fairness, I haven't found a good paid news aggregator that has those paid sources. I sincerely doubt that most people can pay $10/month each to read NYT, The Economist, Bloomberg, WSJ, their local big newspaper, Wired, and whatever else might be useful.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Well yeah that's your brain that's used to the Internet. One newspaper and maybe a weekly journal with Op-Eds and background reports is enough to stay informed.
You don't need to read every article from every point of view.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

One newspaper is enough to get a shallow understanding of something, but it's not enough to get a more nuanced understanding. Even then, not every newspaper covers every story, so you'll need multiple even for a shallow understanding about XYZ.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

I pay for two news subscriptions, and I’d like into invite any of y’all who can afford to, to do similar

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Same here.
Fun fact: I was recently forced to find a new apartment.
Instead of throwing myself into the grinder that is the online rent market, I posted an ad in the local newspaper (it cost 36€).
Several landlords answered and basically told me they don't like to look for renters online either.
After all, most landlords are senior citizens.
The apartment I found through the newspaper was much better and cheaper than anything available online.
So the way I see it, the newspaper subscription saved me around 200-300€/month for the foreseeable future.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

And that's exactly why I read German news only, they are paid with tax money and there's a governing body in place that ensures objectivity.

Of course there are private magazines and stuff, but as long as you stay clear of them, you're by and large good to go.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

Profit above all. Been this way for a long long time.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago

I don’t really mind clickbaity headlines, but I’m getting real tired of LIVE headlines, where instead of writing a story they just do Mastodon-style live reactions, like me getting pissed and watching Eurovision.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago

Tell your friends and family not to fall for it then. Ad dicks will come up with something new and equally horrible.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 hours ago

Yes. I don't even click on news articles anymore. The headlines are almost always manipulative. I respect my own mental wellness too much to allow them to make my mind jump through hoops.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

"news headlines" should be "opinion headlines". I'm going back to Jack Webb from Dragnet..."Just the facts, ma'am.".

[–] [email protected] 5 points 12 hours ago

For quite a while, yes.

Anytime I see headlines that say "you won't guess what's next!" "you won't believe this!" or any other variation is a immediate avoid.

I think Lemmy owes itself a savedyouaclick instance.

[–] [email protected] 199 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Lemmy user SLAMS mainstream media, you will not believe what the comment section said

[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 day ago (1 children)

OP is on BLAST after reading this one comment.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago

SHOCK reaction as bait comment fallout nixes OP campaign success chances, experts warn.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 day ago (2 children)

While we're at it, does anyone on Lemmy hate capitalism? I never see anyone mention it.

And that Trump guy is really not turning out well.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I don't hate it, but it's been allowed to go uncontrolled for too long and it has become cancerous to the successful advancement of society.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hey does anyone else on Lemmy hate Puppy Kickers?

I think they suck but just curious if anyone else felt that way

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[–] [email protected] 76 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Yeah I made c/savedyouaclick in the hope of getting people de-clickbaiting stories, but I was the only poster afaict. I wonder if calling it newssummararies could help.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Oh I'd be up to help if I could

Maybe a link or two a day

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 day ago

It could be worth posting about it in [email protected] and [email protected]

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 day ago

Nah that community name is fine, it just needs to be promoted. Someone else linked some communities where it can be advertised.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

How do you "do" c/savedyouaclick? I've summarized links in a comment before, but I don't know what would be the point of also mentioning c/savedyouaclick when I do that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

See the existing posts there, I guess, or look at the reddit version. I agree that there's not much point in cross linking it unless there's a significant discussion thread for that post. But reddit got those sometimes.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago

Whenever people ask this question, I do this one thing.

[–] [email protected] 44 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I don't click those any more. I assume they're completely written by AI and not fact-checked in any way. They just suck knowledge out of me instead of adding more.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago

Exactly. If the headline is garbage, I assume the story is, too. Real journalism that’s worth reading doesn’t need to resort to clickbait.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

Well played. You got me to click.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No other choice than sticking with the few reputable media that still don't do that. Gotta support them so they don't fall into that too.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sometimes the articles themselves are fine, and it’s just the editorial department that adds the sensational headlines. I don’t know if it’s worth throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If the marketing has the power to go over the journalism to change the titles, isn't it a symptom that things are going downward for this media?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Haven't the titles always been traditionally written by someone other that the articles author?

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 day ago

There’s something I hate more than clickbaity headlines, click here to find out!!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

MAN THREATENS TO NOT READ NEWS ANYMORE over clickbaity headlines

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

NPR and the BBC still aren't doing that.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Thankfully there are still a lot of amazing news sources that have held onto their integrity. Click here to see even more. Number 17 will surprise you!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

That's a very good list. I just threw out the first couple that came to mind, but it is worth calling out the organizations that are still trying to do real journalism.

I give small sustaining donations to NPR, ProPublica, and The Guardian. I hope to add a few more when I can.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago

I hate them. I hate that everything is always trying to sell you something or trick you into generating profit somehow. It makes me want to burn down a bank.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

It’s the news that Starship Troopers and Idiocracy both parodied. Except it’s not future fantasy, it’s real and here now.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

I miss objective news in general

Everything has a spin on it, even if it's subtle

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