It is time to slow down

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump this weekend triggered a predictable firestorm online. As someone who's spent over half my life in the broadcasting industry, I know firsthand how overwhelming these news cycles can be. From being a bystander online wanting to know what is happening, to being a news reporter trying to get the correct information as fast as possible, it is incredibly stressful during these times. But this time, something felt different for me. Scrolling through my feeds, I realized this wasn't just another news event – it was a chance to rethink how we consume breaking news.

As with most breaking news events happening this century, many took to Twitter, Threads, Mastodon, and Bluesky for rapid-fire information. Others took this as an opportunity to spread conspiracy theories and crack “jokes” further wishing more political violence. I must admit that at first I was one of those people scrolling my feeds and algorithmic timelines hoping to see something new. I have always been one of those people constnatly checking Twitter and finding reporters who were at the scene of the events. I wanted to know everything as soon as I could. I have spent time doomscrolling Twitter news at parties, family gatherings, even on dates with my partner. With some hindsight it is clear that it isn't healthy nor was it productive for anyone to spend that much time nose deep in my phone waiting for the latest nugget of information to hit me.

I was back in my habits of scrolling Saturday when I heard the news, but after a short time on my phone I realized that this is a perfect opportunity to slow down online. For too many in the news business it is more important to be first than it is to be respectful of the readers, listeners, or viewers seeking their work. I know that this weekend will be a historical event taught in textbooks in the coming decades, but what won’t be written about is who tweeted something first or made the first joke like “he missed. lol.” In the grand scheme of things no one gives a shit, and neither should we.

So I closed the apps I was on, opened up my alarm clock and simply put in a time much later in the day to take a look at the news then. Nothing about what happened Saturday in Pennsylvania was going to directly affect me in the next few hours and it could wait. My friends, family, and my mental health were are a better thing to prioritize.

I’m not here to criticize others for how they process or react to breaking news events, but I think many people chronically online could benefit from some intentional off-screen time during big events. The choic in this though it ultimately up to the individual.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t stay informed, but the line between staying informed and obsessing is often blurry for many. Learning how to stay on the right side of that line takes time and intentional effort.

So, the next time a breaking news event dominates your feed, I encourage you to take a step back and ask yourself:

Do I really need to know this right now?

If not, set it aside. Your mental well-being might thank you. However, if you do need to be online for this kind of thing, maybe limit the time you do spend before it consumes all of you. It’s all too easy to try and quickly check the firehouse of information only Get pulled down into it indefinitely.

What do you do when breaking news happens? What are some of the ways you cope with major event news like this? Reach out and share your thoughts.

Hey, Jeff here. I just wanted to say thank you for reading Clicked. This newsletter is a labor of love and something that I put out weekly(ish). I do it for myself, but I also truly enjoy hearing from my readers. So if you have a comment or a note to share you can leave a comment on this issue of Clicked below, mention me on Mastodon or Threads, or send me an email at jeff@clicked.cool.

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Threads has a real problem with LGBTQ+ users

MacStories’ Niléane shared her thoughts and reporting on how Threads is running marginalized groups off their platform with shadow bans and prominent LGBTQ+ accounts being temporarily disabled. Meanwhile accounts posting literal Nazi Imagery continue to stay on the platform consequence free. The whole article is worth the read and I agree with Niléane’s hope for tech journalists and bloggers.

I expect tech journalists to more systematically report on everything that fits into this pattern. I expect tech podcasters to acknowledge that Threads is only a great alternative to Twitter if you’re a straight, white male. I expect that we all start understanding why some marginalized communities are staying on Twitter despite all of its horrific flaws. I expect that awareness of Meta’s consistent pattern of silencing marginalized voices can help direct funds, donations, and efforts to Mastodon to make it a durable, more wide-reaching alternative.

More than anything, I just expect to be heard. And for Threads, that seems too much to ask for.

Quick Links

• Axios is reporting that Taboola and Apple News have formed a partnership to have Taboola adds in Apple News and Apple Stock apps. While Taboola has an awful reputation, that some are critical of, some feel like this is worth it for newspapers and publications in desperate need of revenue.
• Delta, the popular gaming emulator app, now has 10 million users and a brand new native iPad app. The new app allows for iPad users to play within Stage Manager and fullscreen.
• Overcast, the best podcasting app on iOS, recently updated with an all new look and built from the ground up in Swift by developer Marco Arment. Arment went on to blog about this updates stating that he has more to come soon for Overcast.
• Sticker Mule, a company that simply makes stickers and other merchandise, sent out an email to all of their customers showing support for Trump after being shot at. Needless to say, it hasn’t gone well for them since. However, they seem to be doubling down like a bunch of absolute buffoons. If you want to get some stickers, I suggest you look for another company other than Sticker Mule.