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This whole fake news thing is interesting for me, the author mentioned that real honest news just don’t get as many clicks. At the end of the day I think we’re

This whole fake news thing is interesting for me, the author mentioned that real honest news just don’t get as many clicks. At the end of the day I think we’re tuned to sensationalist things that trigger our emotion in some ways much like the feeling we get when we watch movies or read fictitious writings. Because of social media and being driven my vanity metrics all the time have we as a collective lost the ability to discern the real from the fake? I think this is something worth questioning.

spuz 8y ago
> have we as a collective lost the ability to discern the real from the fake? I don't think so. Even people who frequently click on fake news articles probably would accept the content they read is probably fake. Those articles satisfy curiosity and relief from boredom on a level that's different from the one we use to think critically. Even if the content is fake does not mean that it is not fulfilling its purpose or even harming readers' ability to see it as fake.
aikah 8y ago
> real honest news just don’t get as many clicks. Both the number clicks and their "velocity" are an important metrics, though velocity is even more important. You don't want a lot of clicks spread out within 2 weeks, you want a story that is a hit within a single day. That's why editors double down on sensationalism and click-bait. The mindset is one can always correct a story a week after. What matters is the immediate viral impact. A huge amount of click fast = more money/engagement.