Clickbait....What is it?

Clickbait is a concise self-explanatory term for that on the internet which attracts a consumer to click on a link. The motives are primarily financial - the consumer is attracted to a sales site or a site which features ads indexed to popularity for those paid to promote the ads. But motives are many. They can be political. We know now that they can be strategic directors towards disinformation.

They are designed to both attract onto their sites and distract from whatever you were originally after.

They work both by language: "Here's a weird way to-" "You'll never guess how this 90s cutie looks like sh*t today!" "Don't click unless you're able to stomach this erotic instruction" "Eight rules to rid your intestines of black slough. You won't believe number five!" "Kit Kimdishian is into turtles now!"

And leave us not forgot the photographic draws- the weird expressions, the figures that are ever so slightly distorted or manipulated to make politicians look like warlocks and witches, or simply misplaced on purpose to disagree with their captions.

Simply put, any way to draw you in is out there.

I've wasted an entire morning clicking through youtubes on my phone. So I'm trying to create a new habit. Or two.

Easiest to develop is resistance to certain subjects and phrases.

Subjects: Bitcoin or any invitation or mention of crypto currency.
Most of the characters who are famous for being famous. If they don't know me, why should I care about knowing anything about them?
Anything that leads to a commented slide show.

Words and Phrases: Anything current with the word 'weird'
We'll show you how .... Here's how
We'll tell you why .... Here's why

Anyhow, this was stimulated by my own frustration with myself and my ability to waste vast amounts of time on what is effectively angels on the head of a pin issues. Stuff that does not matter, will not help, and disinforms.