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The Problem With Low Information Click Bait
Monday, 5 October 2015 15:37Facebook is full of funny stuff. Some of it is meant to be cute and/or funny. Some is funny ironically. Or WTF or Are Your Kidding Me?
Then there are the Ridiculous Questions posts -- Did Martians Land in Hawaii and Steal Obama's Birth Certificate? Any of those links which ask a question, the answer is almost always NO.
And the Top 25 Celebrities Who Look Different Today Than As Children posts. Which when you get to the link take FOREVER to go through all 27 pages (including front and back cover pages) to try to see 25 results. Of course the pages take so long because they take so much time loading ads and links to more click bait pieces.
These are easy to ignore. And I do.
But there's a class of Low Information Click Bait which just infuriates me:
Okay, I think I get it. "See why Tesla was stabbed in the back 3 times for this endless energy device. This may cut your electricity bill by as much as 75%."
My question is -- why the hell do you have to repeat three times? The article apparently starts with those two lines. The headline is based on that. And the (Sponsored) poster took the time to cut-and-paste those two lines in a comment.
For what earthly purpose? There are three opportunities to give us information -- and at least two of them are wasted.
Now, Tesla was an interesting figure. And he was involved in many fights with other people. But was he physically stabbed in the back three times? Or is this merely metaphor? And the photograph shows a portable generator. What, are you telling me I can save on my electric bill by running my generator? Gee, thanks, Sparky. I'll get right on it.
I will never click on such a link. But whether it is some cut and clever sales pitch -- it IS a Sponsored post after all -- or some conspiracy theory or fake invention tale, why should I read the same text three times?
Use a little imagination, folks! I'd even take the old "I saved $23.18 on my electric bill the first month!" hype.
Idiots.
On a happier note -- Ms. Winslet, Photoshopped as a Sith above, is celebrating her 40th birthday today. Happy birthday!
Dr. Phil
Then there are the Ridiculous Questions posts -- Did Martians Land in Hawaii and Steal Obama's Birth Certificate? Any of those links which ask a question, the answer is almost always NO.
And the Top 25 Celebrities Who Look Different Today Than As Children posts. Which when you get to the link take FOREVER to go through all 27 pages (including front and back cover pages) to try to see 25 results. Of course the pages take so long because they take so much time loading ads and links to more click bait pieces.
These are easy to ignore. And I do.
But there's a class of Low Information Click Bait which just infuriates me:
Okay, I think I get it. "See why Tesla was stabbed in the back 3 times for this endless energy device. This may cut your electricity bill by as much as 75%."
My question is -- why the hell do you have to repeat three times? The article apparently starts with those two lines. The headline is based on that. And the (Sponsored) poster took the time to cut-and-paste those two lines in a comment.
For what earthly purpose? There are three opportunities to give us information -- and at least two of them are wasted.
Now, Tesla was an interesting figure. And he was involved in many fights with other people. But was he physically stabbed in the back three times? Or is this merely metaphor? And the photograph shows a portable generator. What, are you telling me I can save on my electric bill by running my generator? Gee, thanks, Sparky. I'll get right on it.
I will never click on such a link. But whether it is some cut and clever sales pitch -- it IS a Sponsored post after all -- or some conspiracy theory or fake invention tale, why should I read the same text three times?
Use a little imagination, folks! I'd even take the old "I saved $23.18 on my electric bill the first month!" hype.
Idiots.
On a happier note -- Ms. Winslet, Photoshopped as a Sith above, is celebrating her 40th birthday today. Happy birthday!
Dr. Phil
Posted on Dreamwidth Crossposted on LiveJournal
