4 ms·

Thank-you. HN's original title policy shouldn't apply when the title is so flagrantly clickbait.

kube-system 7y ago
Arguably, this is not clickbait. Many define 'clickbait' as a lead that is characteristically deceptive, misleading, or exaggerated. I'd argue this is simply a teaser, as the article certainly delivers on its promise of a 'secret'. If anything, 'secret' is understated.
- AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
  Respectfully, I disagree. To my mind, a "clickbait" title includes purposely omitting information for the purposes of getting you to click. If this were a newspaper headline, it would've been "Man discovers mummified remains in deceased mother's freezer", because the purpose of the headline is to convey as much information as possible, succinctly. But the "clickbait" article intentionally omits what is in the freezer in the hopes of getting you to click to find out.
  - kube-system 7y ago
    It's certainly up for debate, as there are varying definitions. Although, I don't think it's fair to put things like "Man photographs Lock Ness monster, and you'll never guess what happens next!" BS in the same category as my nightly news saying "After the break, new CDC warnings you should know before you vape"
    - bardan 7y ago
      Maybe we could say there are varying degrees of clickbait, but any headline that calls attention to the fact it is omitting important information has to be considered clickbait.
- ramphastidae 7y ago
  If this doesn't read as clear, absolute, 100%, not-at-all-up-for-debate clickbait as explained by AdmiralAsshat then the media has done a great job of manipulating your expectations. The title intentionally replaces the primary subject of the article (baby found in freezer) with withholding and vague language ("her secret") in order to force readers to click through to learn what the primary subject is. They are baiting you into clicking. This is clickbait.
  - jakobegger 7y ago
    The author really tried hard to build up the suspense before the reveal, so it would be very odd if they gave it away in the title. I even think they gave away too much, since my first thought was "baby" when I read "in the freezer". I think this kind of story is one of the rare cases where I would have preferred a less revealing title. Some people enjoy reading stories without knowing the end beforehand.
  - lemmsjid 7y ago
    You’re missing the bait part of clickbait. Baiting a fish is tricking them into thinking they’ll get a meal, when they won’t. Clickbait is for things like “You won’t believe the shocking thing Harrison Ford did this morning!!” —and it turns out he buttered his toast. All too common, when media companies actually do not have a story, or the funds to go deep on a story, so instead mislead the reader into thinking a story is there when it isn’t. In other words, bait. This article delivers what it promises, which is unveiling the mystery and the context around it in a well written and researched fashion. I would be very sad if all headlines had to be so reductionistically explicit that there was no room for narrative. For example in this case the presence of the box was hanging over the family for years. Leaving that mystery to the reader does make a tantalizing headline, but also allows for increased identification with the family itself. That will not be true for all readers, but let’s please separate clickbait from anticipation and suspense.
    - ramphastidae 7y ago
      > You’re missing the bait part of clickbait. It's not missing at all. The bait is the phrase "her secret in the freezer". The article may be high quality but the title is clickbait, plain and simple. Do you believe the author chose that title themselves? Or was it the editors who have marketing-set quotas to reach? Why do you think the top voted comment in this thread is the explanation of what "her secret in the freezer" is? Why do you think the top replying comment to that is the primary HN mod acknowledging it is clickbait?
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

Arguably, this is not clickbait. Many define 'clickbait' as a lead that is characteristically deceptive, misleading, or exaggerated. I'd argue this is simply a teaser, as the article certainly delivers on its promise of a 'secret'. If anything, 'secret' is understated.

AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
Respectfully, I disagree. To my mind, a "clickbait" title includes purposely omitting information for the purposes of getting you to click. If this were a newspaper headline, it would've been "Man discovers mummified remains in deceased mother's freezer", because the purpose of the headline is to convey as much information as possible, succinctly. But the "clickbait" article intentionally omits what is in the freezer in the hopes of getting you to click to find out.
- kube-system 7y ago
  It's certainly up for debate, as there are varying definitions. Although, I don't think it's fair to put things like "Man photographs Lock Ness monster, and you'll never guess what happens next!" BS in the same category as my nightly news saying "After the break, new CDC warnings you should know before you vape"
  - bardan 7y ago
    Maybe we could say there are varying degrees of clickbait, but any headline that calls attention to the fact it is omitting important information has to be considered clickbait.
ramphastidae 7y ago
If this doesn't read as clear, absolute, 100%, not-at-all-up-for-debate clickbait as explained by AdmiralAsshat then the media has done a great job of manipulating your expectations. The title intentionally replaces the primary subject of the article (baby found in freezer) with withholding and vague language ("her secret") in order to force readers to click through to learn what the primary subject is. They are baiting you into clicking. This is clickbait.
- jakobegger 7y ago
  The author really tried hard to build up the suspense before the reveal, so it would be very odd if they gave it away in the title. I even think they gave away too much, since my first thought was "baby" when I read "in the freezer". I think this kind of story is one of the rare cases where I would have preferred a less revealing title. Some people enjoy reading stories without knowing the end beforehand.
- lemmsjid 7y ago
  You’re missing the bait part of clickbait. Baiting a fish is tricking them into thinking they’ll get a meal, when they won’t. Clickbait is for things like “You won’t believe the shocking thing Harrison Ford did this morning!!” —and it turns out he buttered his toast. All too common, when media companies actually do not have a story, or the funds to go deep on a story, so instead mislead the reader into thinking a story is there when it isn’t. In other words, bait. This article delivers what it promises, which is unveiling the mystery and the context around it in a well written and researched fashion. I would be very sad if all headlines had to be so reductionistically explicit that there was no room for narrative. For example in this case the presence of the box was hanging over the family for years. Leaving that mystery to the reader does make a tantalizing headline, but also allows for increased identification with the family itself. That will not be true for all readers, but let’s please separate clickbait from anticipation and suspense.
  - ramphastidae 7y ago
    > You’re missing the bait part of clickbait. It's not missing at all. The bait is the phrase "her secret in the freezer". The article may be high quality but the title is clickbait, plain and simple. Do you believe the author chose that title themselves? Or was it the editors who have marketing-set quotas to reach? Why do you think the top voted comment in this thread is the explanation of what "her secret in the freezer" is? Why do you think the top replying comment to that is the primary HN mod acknowledging it is clickbait?

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]