The news makes money when you're engaged. The easiest way to keep you engaged is with anger and fear. That's why "if it bleeds, it leads" is a traditional maxim

The news makes money when you're engaged. The easiest way to keep you engaged is with anger and fear. That's why "if it bleeds, it leads" is a traditional maxim of television media. Social media is the same. They're trying to make money by keeping you engaged. Neither the news nor social media is trying to give you a mirror of society. They are telling you the worst things that happen to keep you watching, not to give you a realistic picture of risk levels of activities. Is this something you're not familiar with? Most adults have at least some awareness of this.