Katie Notopoulos explores the trend of "engagement bait" on Instagram's Threads, where emotionally charged posts, especially those designed to provoke outrage, are widely used to drive interactions. By posting intentionally provocative content on topics like tipping and school supplies, she demonstrated how the platform's algorithm seems to prioritize posts with high comment counts.
This tactic, known as "rage bait," has gained traction across social media, especially on platforms like TikTok. It often leads to viral reactions, but it can flood users' feeds with inflammatory content. Notopoulos reflects on the moral implications of using this method, acknowledging that while it generates engagement, it can also lead to misunderstandings and negative responses.
Though rage bait is prevalent now, Threads is still evolving, and how it prioritizes content may change as the platform matures.
No paywall: https://archive.li/UAVoC#selection-1687.52-1687.64
Discussion (2)
I get that its effective for engagement, but provoking outrage just feels cheap.
what does it say about us that we are more likely to comment on something that makes us angry than something we actually like?
Every social media platform has its phase where rage and outrage become the main engagement drivers. It was the same with Facebook, Twitter, TikTok... people just love reacting to controversy. The algorithm rewards what keeps people talking, and nothing gets folks fired up like hot takes on everyday stuff.