View Full Version : Anxiety triggers on websites - have things improved?
David_120218
10-03-22, 22:50
Hello, I've posted here before about anxiety triggers on websites. Not so much the content of websites (there's plenty of anxiety-inducing topics out there) but more the sort of things that websites do that contribute to feelings of anxiety or panic.
For example, time limits (such as “you have 5 minutes to complete your purchase”) or persuasive notifications (such as “Hurry! Only 2 tickets left!” or “5 people are viewing this room!”). There's also the sneaky tricks that companies play when it comes to forms (“tick this checkbox if you DO NOT want to receive our newsletter”). Targeted ads is another source of anxiety, as is sensational reporting of certain topics (health and medical information being a key one).
It's been a few years since I looked into this, and I was wondering if anything has changed? Has the situation improved or is the web still as anxiety-inducing as ever? Are there any new sneaky tricks that you've noticed lately? Did the pandemic have an impact (thinking in terms of how information is shared online and with services like reporting testing and booking vaccines)?
If you have anything you would like to share, please reply to this message or send a Private Message.
I can definitely relate to your concerns, David, as such things can really set me on edge.
For the most part, I think it's the businesses that the sites represent who are in pursuit of profits, which I perceive as some form of psychological manipulation.
The worst things for me are hyperbole (e.g, proclaiming to be the best and most popular brand ever since 19XX, but now a pale shadow of their former selves with their products cheaply and shoddily manufactured almost always in the Far East/China), and worst of all (from a website perspective in particular), false advertising, such as making products, stores, venues, etc, look far superior than they actually are, or find out with horror that the products/services/facilities they offer on their sites are either not yet available, have been discontinued without notice on the site, temporarily out of use, or simply non-existent.
And don't even get me started on official sites that haven't even been updated for years, including the official website for my day centre, which has never even been updated for the 5 years since it first went live online, and there are already certain aspects of it that are outdated and no longer relevant.
And in conclusion, to answer the original question, I don't think that such things have improved. In fact, they seem to have upped the ante over the past few years IMO, and I can often sense something rather Orwellian about a lot of it.
David_120218
11-03-22, 14:04
Thank you, that's really interesting. So it's almost like some companies are relying on the relative ease of putting a professional looking website together to give a rosier picture. I've definitely seen that happening myself.
I agree about the pursuit of profits - the money made from exploiting people's anxieties is too great.
My dad said to me that whilst he doesn't necessarily agree with such practices, businesses sometimes have to 'big themselves up' and tell a few 'white lies' in order to sell themselves, and inadvertently, to survive.
MyNameIsTerry
12-03-22, 07:37
I can definitely relate to your concerns, David, as such things can really set me on edge.
For the most part, I think it's the businesses that the sites represent who are in pursuit of profits, which I perceive as some form of psychological manipulation.
The worst things for me are hyperbole (e.g, proclaiming to be the best and most popular brand ever since 19XX, but now a pale shadow of their former selves with their products cheaply and shoddily manufactured almost always in the Far East/China), and worst of all (from a website perspective in particular), false advertising, such as making products, stores, venues, etc, look far superior than they actually are, or find out with horror that the products/services/facilities they offer on their sites are either not yet available, have been discontinued without notice on the site, temporarily out of use, or simply non-existent.
And don't even get me started on official sites that haven't even been updated for years, including the official website for my day centre, which has never even been updated for the 5 years since it first went live online, and there are already certain aspects of it that are outdated and no longer relevant.
And in conclusion, to answer the original question, I don't think that such things have improved. In fact, they seem to have upped the ante over the past few years IMO, and I can often sense something rather Orwellian about a lot of it.
It won't look like this...
https://content.fortune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/mcdonalds_bigvegants.jpg
...more like its been sat on.
Since I'm into 6 weeks of painful sciatica that's for me on a walking stick around the house I know what you mean, Lenco. Apparently a dab of voltarol beats any anti inflammatories the NHS have in their dispensary. Why spend werks on them when a dab If the magic ointment will have he keeping up with the most advanced yogis?
How they get away with advertising like that when the actor us clearly not just having the odd twinge is beyond me.
MyNameIsTerry
12-03-22, 07:44
David, I remember you from before. I hope your work is helping to promote change & awareness.
Something that springs to mind is live chat. It's a great tool for customers but anxious people can struggle with even a screen based discussion. We've had people on here afraid to post.
Some companies sacrifice other options such as email for live chat.
Some sites won't let you in without disabling adblockers. But some sites will allow you to continue which helps reduce potential triggers.
I wonder how people feel about consent requests? They are often in a language many won't understand as they are vague. Do some worry they have consented to too much?
Ads can often be the bane of my life.
Even on this site, some of the pop-up ads, especially those advertising Black Friday deals not only several weeks in advance of said event but still even well into December, really do my nut in.
Ads on YouTube are probably the worst offenders for me, especially suddenly being randomly assaulted by them at intervals throughout an interesting/ enjoyable video; it's sometimes been known to occur during Dr JC's videos, but so far (thank god) not during nor at the end of ASMR videos.
A few years back (around late 2016), I remember being assaulted by an ad called 'The Brit Method' whenever I first logged online, and sometimes randomly appeared out of the blue during my time online, regardless of site I was on.
This poxy ad was accompanied by audio, including a voiceover complete with F-bombs. I presumed it was some far-right propaganda ad (possibly pro-Brexit, etc), but someone on a thread on the Digital Spy forum said that it was some kind of scam.
Needless to say, when I had a new laptop in early 2017, I never saw said ad again!
All in all, I find many ads and other things online that seem to be forced on us against our will a kind of invasion of our personal space.
David_120218
14-03-22, 11:59
Thanks Terry. I'd like to think I've at least raised awareness in some circles. There's definitely been progress on the persuasive notifications front ("Hurry, only 2 rooms left!" etc.), particularly in the travel sector. Still a long way to go though.
Out of interest, Terry and Lencoboy, what is it about the hyperbole in ads that becomes an anxiety trigger? Is it the deception? Not knowing what/who you can trust? The lack of control?
It's interesting that you mention Live Chat, Terry. I've had people cite phone lines as a similar trigger - they feel uncomfortable communicating that way (real-time, under pressure) and hate being forced into using them.
Good question about consent forms. Something that was introduced to give us more control over how our data is handled, but has been so badly implemented that it has become another burden when using websites. Again, it's forcing you into making a quick decision to be able to proceed but layers it with all sorts of jargon and sneaky tricks that you couldn't possibly make an informed choice.
Thanks Terry. I'd like to think I've at least raised awareness in some circles. There's definitely been progress on the persuasive notifications front ("Hurry, only 2 rooms left!" etc.), particularly in the travel sector. Still a long way to go though.
Out of interest, Terry and Lencoboy, what is it about the hyperbole in ads that becomes an anxiety trigger? Is it the deception? Not knowing what/who you can trust? The lack of control?
It's interesting that you mention Live Chat, Terry. I've had people cite phone lines as a similar trigger - they feel uncomfortable communicating that way (real-time, under pressure) and hate being forced into using them.
Good question about consent forms. Something that was introduced to give us more control over how our data is handled, but has been so badly implemented that it has become another burden when using websites. Again, it's forcing you into making a quick decision to be able to proceed but layers it with all sorts of jargon and sneaky tricks that you couldn't possibly make an informed choice.
I think deception, the not knowing who or what to trust, and the perceived general lack of control does spring to mind, but sadly many people just seem to shrug it off and say stuff like 'Meh, that's just the way of the world today, just get over it!'. Even my dad has a bit of that kind of attitude, where he doesn't necessarily agree with such things and often himself bemoans poor practices in general but then goes on to saying that he's currently got far more important things to be concerned about instead.
All in all, a kind of 'concerned but not really that concerned/in denial' kind of phenomenon!
It seems a bit like that with the current Covid situation in the UK right now.
Peterthegreatworrier
15-03-22, 07:15
Something which really annoys me and has certainly not changed is how many news websites slap links to other news stories, particularly those which are 'breaking news', in the middle of the article I'm trying to read which usually has nothing to do with them. This is one of the main ways that I accidentally stumble across events which trigger my anxiety in recent times. I hate reading a cute story about dogs and then randomly get slapped with a link to an article entitled 'Putin threatens to nuke', for instance. If I want to read another article, I'll do it when I'm finished this one, not halfway through, thank you.
David_120218
15-03-22, 10:46
Ahh, good one, Peter. Yes, again it's coming back to that lack of control, isn't it? They're taking away the decision to read the news stories you want to read by forcing "breaking news" upon you. I also feel like "breaking news" is over-used to keep you in a constant state of anticipation.
Ahh, good one, Peter. Yes, again it's coming back to that lack of control, isn't it? They're taking away the decision to read the news stories you want to read by forcing "breaking news" upon you. I also feel like "breaking news" is over-used to keep you in a constant state of anticipation.
God, that's one of my biggest bugbears and it really sucks big time!
Seriously, why are some sites designed like that? Do the designers/ owners seriously think everybody in the world can focus on multiple topics forced in their faces all at once?
Really spoils and ruins the enjoyment of reading pleasant articles about cute dogs, etc when we're suddenly assaulted with stuff like 'nuke alert', etc!
All feels like they're out to get us at times!
I despair, I really do!
Plus I totally agree that 'breaking news' has now become over-hackneyed and clichéd hyperbole, just like the word 'crisis'!
David_120218
18-03-22, 00:22
Has the pandemic fuelled your anxiety at all? Thinking specifically in terms of how information is shared online and the tendency for the media to sensationalise? This was a commonly cited source of anxiety when I last investigated, in particular around health-related stories.
I remember interview with the author Jon Ronson during the lockdown, where he said how people (like him) who have anxiety disorders were coping pretty well with the pandemic as they had been catastrophising and preparing for such an event all their life. Does any of that ring true?
And what about online services like ordering and reporting covid tests and booking vaccines. Any concerns there?
Ahh, good one, Peter. Yes, again it's coming back to that lack of control, isn't it? They're taking away the decision to read the news stories you want to read by forcing "breaking news" upon you. I also feel like "breaking news" is over-used to keep you in a constant state of anticipation.
They are not "forcing" anyone to read anything though? There is always choice.
Has the pandemic fuelled your anxiety at all? Thinking specifically in terms of how information is shared online and the tendency for the media to sensationalise? This was a commonly cited source of anxiety when I last investigated, in particular around health-related stories.
I remember interview with the author Jon Ronson during the lockdown, where he said how people (like him) who have anxiety disorders were coping pretty well with the pandemic as they had been catastrophising and preparing for such an event all their life. Does any of that ring true?
And what about online services like ordering and reporting covid tests and booking vaccines. Any concerns there?
I think with me, especially earlier in the pandemic, it was more the fear of the unknown than anything else, especially as it was something extraordinary that none of us had ever experienced before in our lifetimes.
And in particular the mammoth rigmarole of thoroughly sanitising shopping and leaving it to dry out for over an hour in order to kill the bacteria, which has no longer been considered necessary or warranted since about early autumn 2020 (IIRC).
A right pain in the backside at times!
Of course, there was also the necessity to give others outside of our immediate household a wide berth, which now seems like ages ago.
MyNameIsTerry
19-03-22, 06:45
I remember interview with the author Jon Ronson during the lockdown, where he said how people (like him) who have anxiety disorders were coping pretty well with the pandemic as they had been catastrophising and preparing for such an event all their life. Does any of that ring true?
Perhaps it speaks to Ronson's lack of understanding of the broad spectrum of anxiety disorders? So many on here have spent their lives catastrophizing and during the pandemic they focussed on that. I guess it depends on the context in which he used it.
It's true that some may have but it's naive to think such varied themes all work that way. It's like saying a HAer actually gets cancer and stops catastrophizing. It's down to deeper schema-based elements where some people are able to face an adversity now it is here. For some having something real to fight against does help. Ronson perhaps found a real enemy to fight? Maybe it gave him a cause or he fought back through helping others? Perhaps it just didn't trigger him as it's a norm to him? I haven't see the interview so cannot say although I am pleased to hear he didn't suffer more.
Agoraphobics coped great with lockdown. Or did they still have to battle their anxiety since its not all about leaving the house?
One of the fundamental underpinnings of anxiety disorders is lack of control. Another is change. The pandemic enforced those. It's strange if such things caused increases in anxiety of non sufferers whilst calming real sufferers. What of those sufferers who combat their anxiety with work or activities which have now been taken away from them?
I coped well but not because of catastrophizing over such things which normalised it. For me it didn't make a big difference to my life in that I'm already isolated. I made my peace with losing all my mates years ago. I'm hardened to feelings of loneliness that I did feel back then. You do adjust. But obviously the big changes and concern for vulnerable loved ones means some elevation. But at the same time I've seen many on here who only got worse.
Another web-related anxiety of mine is accidentally clicking on links to unwanted sites, especially when and where adverts suddenly pop up at random, and cause the page to nudge up or down slightly.
accidentally clicking
One doesn't 'accidently click' on links TBH.
FMP
MyNameIsTerry
20-03-22, 20:41
Another web-related anxiety of mine is accidentally clicking on links to unwanted sites, especially when and where adverts suddenly pop up at random, and cause the page to nudge up or down slightly.
That happens on this forum if I turn my adblocker off. The ads cause slow loading and the screen snaps down causing your click to hit the wrong thread.
Admin are aware.
One doesn't 'accidently click' on links TBH.
FMP
Sorry, but that's where you're wrong FMP.
I currently use a smartphone for going online (including posting on this forum) as my main laptop can be rather temperamental when online, and sometimes it's possible for the touch-screen system on my phone to mis-track and accidentally click on unwanted sites/pages.
Similar things happen with the virtual 'keyboard' on my phone, such as accidentally catching the adjoining letter, number, etc to the 'wanted' one, sometimes resulting in typos if not careful.
if not careful.
Exactly! And one still has the choice to read or not.
FMP
MyNameIsTerry
20-03-22, 23:13
Sorry, but that's where you're wrong FMP.
I currently use a smartphone for going online (including posting on this forum) as my main laptop can be rather temperamental when online, and sometimes it's possible for the touch-screen system on my phone to mis-track and accidentally click on unwanted sites/pages.
Similar things happen with the virtual 'keyboard' on my phone, such as accidentally catching the adjoining letter, number, etc to the 'wanted' one, sometimes resulting in typos if not careful.
It can come down to web design or device design. On some you might feel like you've got fat fingers because it's not set up as well as it can be. This was a problem in early smart phones too.
Honestly if I don't keep ad block on NMP I can see the pages snap. Click on a thread before that and you'll end up in the wrong thread.
I take it you don't feel compelled to read whatever you're annoyingly directed to online though, Lenco?
I take it you don't feel compelled to read whatever you're annoyingly directed to online though, Lenco?
I always click straight off it ASAP.
That's good. I think many websites take advantage of people not being able to resist the lure of reading articles which are anxiety triggers due to the "morbid fascination" element.
David_120218
24-03-22, 21:49
Another web-related anxiety of mine is accidentally clicking on links to unwanted sites, especially when and where adverts suddenly pop up at random, and cause the page to nudge up or down slightly.
Absolutely. I know exactly what you mean. I notice this a lot on local news websites, which are teeming with adverts (and practically unusable as a result). You click on something, but an advert loads in its place, nudging it out the way and causing you to click on the advert instead.
Again, this is pointing to an unpredictability being a cause of anxiety, isn't it? Like Terry says above, a lack of control.
David_120218
24-03-22, 22:11
They are not "forcing" anyone to read anything though? There is always choice.
Okay, they're not "forcing" anyone to read it, no. But it's quite alarming to see a "BREAKING NEWS" banner pop up, and very difficult to resist looking at it. Particularly as there's usually only a hint of what it's about.
Okay, they're not "forcing" anyone to read it, no. But it's quite alarming to see a "BREAKING NEWS" banner pop up, and very difficult to resist looking at it. Particularly as there's usually only a hint of what it's about.
But that's how these websites operate..They know that anxious people find it hard to resist triggers such as "BREAKING NEWS". More often than not breaking news is pretty routine news anyway.
But that's how these websites operate..They know that anxious people find it hard to resist triggers such as "BREAKING NEWS". More often than not breaking news is pretty routine news anyway.
Not only that, but the words 'BREAKING NEWS' (or just the word 'BREAKING' in the case of the BBC News channel), are often left on-screen for ages after the subject concerned first became BN, which to me smacks of both hyperbole and laziness, and the term inadvertently becomes meaningless as the subject wears on.
Anyway, that's my additional take on it.
Not only that, but the words 'BREAKING NEWS' (or just the word 'BREAKING' in the case of the BBC News channel), are often left on-screen for ages after the subject concerned first became BN, which to me smacks of both hyperbole and laziness, and the term inadvertently becomes meaningless as the subject wears on.
Anyway, that's my additional take on it.
Plus I do actually wonder at times if the media actually revel in keeping many of us anxious folk in a perpetual state of fear and paranoia, as if there's potential hazards lurking on every street corner and in every nook and cranny waiting to harm us, whatever they may be.
I've certainly noticed such trends appear to have become more pronounced and intense over the past 20-odd years in particular, especially since 'anti-social behaviour' (ASB) first became a 'buzzword' from the very late 90s onwards.
In fact, I think the term 'BREAKING NEWS' has also become a 'buzzword' in its own right over recent years.
It used to be called "news". Now everything is sensationalised for dramatic effect. We need to normalise these buzzwords in our minds to dampen the programmed anxiety response.
It used to be called "news". Now everything is sensationalised for dramatic effect. We need to normalise these buzzwords in our minds to dampen the programmed anxiety response.
Well why do most people just shrug it off, brush it under the carpet and simply tolerate it rather than 'protest' against it in some way?
(As in 'protesting', I don't necessarily mean riotous Poll Tax-like protests in central London, etc).
I suppose shrugging it off and accepting it as a routine device to draw attention rather than seeing it as an "evil" practice would be difficult for some but this would diffuse some anxiety?
David_120218
01-04-22, 10:30
What about time-pressured interactions on websites? For example, time limits (such as “you have 5 minutes to complete your purchase”) or persuasive notifications (such as “Hurry! Only 2 tickets left!” or “5 people are viewing this room!”).
There have been moves, particularly in the hotel booking sector, to outlaw such tactics, unless it is based on genuine data and companies can demonstrate it is beneficial to users. Have you noticed any improvements around things like this? I haven't had to book any travel or accommodation due to the pandemic so I haven't noticed anything.
These practices still exist but it's generally known that this is just a tactic to make the punter decide there and then rather than just take their time. I always use the hotel's own website rather than something like booking.com etc. You get a better deal that way as well.
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