The Devil's Clickbait

You won't believe what the devil said to Jesus, just after --

"Click."

If there's any more ubiquitous sound in the 21st century, it's hard to know what it would be. The clicking of a mouse and the tapping of the touch screen are the soundtracks of our daily lives. We get everything with a click — from the news to ordering groceries to checking in with a distant friend.

But while the Web has brought us ease of communication, it's also shouldered us with the burden of distraction. You can't read an online article, for example, without being bombarded with ads or, perhaps even worse, temptations to click on another article that may take you down a rabbit trail you never intended to follow.

Savvy Internet users call this "clickbait," which refers to any ad or link with a shocking, salacious or teasing headline and / or photo designed to pique your curiosity and suck you in. The headline usually doesn't deliver what it offers, and your "click" usually results in a bevy of more ads and useless information.

For example, at the bottom of the Wired...