Rage bait
Content deliberately designed to make people angry, so they reply, quote, and share in anger — which the algorithm reads as engagement and spreads further. A cynical but effective growth tactic built on the fact that indignation spreads faster than contentment.
Mechanic: a provocative, often deliberately wrong or offensive take is posted precisely to wind people up. Since angry replies, quote-dunks, and "look what this idiot wrote" all count as interaction, the post is rewarded algorithmically — the angrier the audience, the bigger the reach. That's why "getting ratioed" is ironically often exactly what rage bait wants (all attention is good attention). Driven by creators who learned that indignation = money/followers. Related to "ragebait farming" and tabloids' old tricks. Distinct from engagement bait by specifically weaponizing anger. A core problem in the engagement-driven economy. Related to ratio and engagement bait.