Clickbait (also known as link bait) refers to text or thumbnail links designed to attract attention and encourage users to click on them to access online content. Typically, clickbait is sensationalized, deceptive, or misleading. A “teaser” aims to exploit the “curiosity gap,” providing just enough information to pique the interest of readers, but not enough to satisfy their curiosity without clicking through to the linked content. Clickbait headlines often involve an element of dishonesty, using enticing language that does not accurately represent the content being delivered. The “-bait” suffix draws an analogy to fishing, where a hook is disguised by bait, creating the illusion that it is something desirable.
Before the rise of the internet, a marketing practice known as bait-and-switch employed similar dishonest tactics to attract customers. In extreme cases, like bait-and-switch, clickbait can be considered a form of fraud. However, click fraud is a separate issue, involving a more significant disconnect between the link’s presentation and the content it leads to, sometimes even including malicious code. Not every instance of a user arriving at unexpected content qualifies as clickbait.
A key characteristic of clickbait is the misrepresentation in the enticement designed to manipulate users into clicking on a link. While there is no universally accepted definition of clickbait, Merriam-Webster defines it as “something designed to make readers want to click on a hyperlink, especially when the link leads to content of dubious value or interest.” Similarly, Dictionary.com states that clickbait is “a sensationalized headline or piece of text on the Internet designed to entice people to follow a link to an article on another web page.”
In 2014, BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith stated that his publication avoided using clickbait, defining it as a headline that dishonestly depicts the article’s content. He pointed out that BuzzFeed headlines like “A 5-Year-Old Girl Raised Enough Money To Take Her Father, Who Has Terminal Cancer, To Disney World,” accurately conveyed the essence of the article, rendering the eye-catching nature of the headline irrelevant.
Facebook, in its efforts to reduce the amount of clickbait shown to users, defined it as a headline that encourages clicks without revealing what the user will see upon clicking. However, this definition excludes many types of content commonly recognized as clickbait.
A more commonly accepted definition describes clickbait as a headline that intentionally over-promises and under-delivers. Articles associated with such headlines often simply restate the headline or replicate content from more credible news sources.
The term “clickbait” is sometimes misapplied to any article that presents someone unfavorably. In such cases, the article does not meet the legitimate criteria for clickbait.
Historically, the techniques used by clickbait authors draw from yellow journalism, which offered little legitimate, well-researched news and relied on exaggerated headlines that sensationalized events or scandals. One controversial practice contributing to sensational stories is checkbook journalism, where reporters pay sources for information without verifying its accuracy. In the U.S., this practice is generally viewed as unethical, often transforming celebrities and politicians into lucrative targets for unproven allegations. Washington Post writer Howard Kurtz noted that “this thriving tabloid culture has erased old definitions of news by including tawdry and sensational stories about celebrities for profit.”
Clickbait predominantly serves to drive page views on websites, either for revenue generation or to increase online advertising income. It can also be exploited for phishing attacks aimed at distributing malicious software or stealing user information, often occurring when a user clicks on a link to learn more. Additionally, clickbait has been used for political purposes and has been implicated in the rise of post-truth politics. Katherine Viner, editor-in-chief at The Guardian, stated that “chasing down cheap clicks at the expense of accuracy and veracity” undermines journalism and the pursuit of truth. Emotional subjects with provocative headlines tend to be widely shared and clicked on, resulting in what Slate referred to as an “aggregation of outrage.” This trend has led to a proliferation of websites across the political spectrum—such as Breitbart News, Huffington Post, Salon, Townhall, and Gawker Media blogs—that profit from producing shareable short-form content that offers simple moral judgments.