20 Things You Can Do Today to Make The World a Better Place

Clickbait. Don’t do it. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Don’t Give in To Clickbait

The internet is full of content. And virtually everyone has an article, a listicle, or a hot take they’re trying to get you to read. The problem is, not all content is created equal. And way too many outlets don’t seem to care too much about that fact. Because, first and foremost, the internet is a business. And websites – whether they’re straight news, entertainment sites or lifestyle blogs – are there to make money. And we all know the only currency that’s worth anything online is a click. Sensational headlines, wild speculation, and unconfirmed rumors get people to click. And clicks mean eyeballs. More eyeballs mean more cash. And more cash means that there’s a greater incentive to write more sensational, speculative, crazy headlines. It’s an endless cycle.

One of the best things you can do for the world in 2017 is become a more discerning consumer of media. Not everything deserves your clicks. If something sounds overly sensational, it probably is.  Check your sources.  Not all content is trustworthy. Quite a bit of it is either incorrect, exaggerated or otherwise just…bad. When you read an article that makes a certain claim, but doesn’t provide any sources to back it up – even if it’s about something as dumb as a movie casting rumor  – remember that. And read the outlets that don’t do that kind of thing instead. It may seem like much, but if we all read the good stuff instead of the clickbait? Maybe it’d make more outlets publish that instead. (I mean, everyone started writing listicles because people were reading the ones at BuzzFeed, right?)