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How to not fall for a Clickbait!

Clickbait is a headline that’s designed to get you to click on the link. It does this by either promising something amazing or threatening you with something awful. But it’s all about getting you to click—not necessarily about giving you the information you’re looking for (or even the information they claim).

If you’ve ever been tempted to click on an article just because of its title, then congratulations! You’ve been duped by clickbait!

Clickbait is a tactic used by websites to attract more visitors. The word “clickbait” refers to links that are designed to encourage the reader to click on the link and visit another site. Clickbait usually consists of a title with an attention-grabbing statement or question, followed by a description of the content that entices people to click on it and read more.

This type of content has become more prevalent in recent years, with many websites and social media platforms relying on it as a primary source of traffic. Clickbait often contains misleading or exaggerated headlines that encourage the reader to click on the link without actually explaining what they will find once they arrive at the site. This practice often leads to disappointment in readers when they discover that they have been misled.

Clickbait can be effective at driving traffic, but it’s also a controversial practice. Some people argue that it’s unethical because it misleads readers into believing they’re going to get something other than what they actually get.

Clickbait is a form of spam that tries to trick you into clicking on links that lead to malicious sites or advertisements. It’s used by hackers and scammers to make money from unsuspecting people who fall for the tricks.

How can you recognise Clickbait?

1. Headline: The first thing people see when they see a page with clickbait is the headline, which should be written in such a way as to entice readers into clicking on the link. Headlines should not be misleading or inaccurate; they should be short and written in an engaging manner that makes readers want to read more about what’s being offered.

2. Content: After reading the headline, you’ll probably want to know more about what’s being offered by reading the content of the article (if there is one). Some websites will offer useful information that can help you make better decisions about topics related to their products or services; others will offer nothing more than vague

Here are some of the most common types of clickbait out there today:

– Headlines that are designed to make you feel excited or angry—but don’t actually have any substance to back them up. (Example: “You Won’t Believe What Happens Next!”)

– Headlines that promise a great deal but don’t actually deliver on that promise in the article itself (Example: “Get a Free iPhone 7”)

– Fake news stories that are meant to convince your readers they’re real by including real photos or videos (Example: “Man Throws Baby Into River”)

Clickbait is a trap. It’s a trick, and it’s a crime.  It’s tempting to click on the link that promises you’ll see something amazing if you just click one more time. But the truth is, most clickbait is just baiting: it’s not really going to give you the amazing thing you were promised. Instead, it will probably just waste your time and make you feel bad about yourself.

But don’t worry! There are some easy ways to avoid being tricked by clickbait. Here are my top tips:

  • Check the URL—if it ends in “.com” then it’s probably not going to be harmful; if it ends in “.info,” it could be malicious; and if it ends in “.net,” it might be trying to collect information about you without your knowledge.
  • Check the destination URL—if it leads to a site where you have an account but the website looks different than usual, there might be a problem. If an account has been compromised, hackers can easily change the login page so that when users try to log in they inadvertently give away their password or other sensitive information. If you suspect this has happened, change your password immediately and contact customer service at [email protected] so they can investigate further!
  • Don’t be afraid to take action on your own behalf! If something sounds too good to be true, or if it seems like an offer that’s too good to pass up, think about what might be going on behind the scenes before allowing yourself to be taken in by the promise of something amazing that may not actually exist.
  • Don’t let fear prevent you from taking action! Sometimes we’re afraid of making mistakes or being judged if we make choices that don’t work out exactly as planned—but this is precisely why we need to take action anyway! Even if things don’t turn out exactly as planned (and they probably will not), having tried and failed can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves and the world around us.
  • Read articles about topics that interest you (not just random ones). Don’t assume every article.

How to Report Clickbait

It’s possible that you fell for the clickbait and clicked on the link, only to find that the article didn’t live up to your expectations. If this has happened to you—or if you’re just sick of seeing clickbait content on Twitter and Facebook—here’s how to report it!

First, look at the offending tweet or post. Does it have an eye-catching image? Does it promise something outrageous in its headline? If so, proceed with caution: there’s a good chance this is clickbait.

On Twitter:

  • Go into your Twitter settings by clicking on your profile icon in the upper right corner and choosing “Settings.”
  • Then select “Quality” from the list of options on the left side of your screen and select “Promoted Tweets.” You’ll see a list of promoted tweets in a box below; if any of them are clickbait, mark them as spam.

On Facebook:

  • Find out if the content violates Facebook’s policies on clickbait. To do this, visit Facebook’s policy page and scroll down to “Clickjacking.” There, you’ll find a list of examples of what constitutes clickbait. If the content in question violates any of these guidelines, you can report it as clickbait!
  • On the top right corner of the post that contains the clickbait, there should be a little down arrow icon with three dots next to it—click on this and select “Report Post” from the menu that appears underneath it.
  • Select “Offensive/Spam” from the dropdown menu and hit submit!

If you see clickbait on a website, you can report it to the site’s owner.

  • To do this, go to the website and look for their “Contact” or “Report” page. The exact link will vary depending on where it is on the site.
  • You’ll want to make sure you’re reporting the right kind of content. For example, if someone is sharing a news article that they think is clickbait but isn’t, then they’re probably not reporting correctly.
  • You should also provide as much context as possible in your report—especially if you’re reporting on something like a blog post or a tweet that doesn’t seem like clickbait at first glance but has some sort of misleading title or image.