“ « The fact that the word rage bait exists and has seen such a dramatic surge in usage means we’re increasingly aware of the manipulation tactics we can be drawn into online, » said Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages. « Before, the internet was focused on grabbing our attention by sparking curiosity in exchange for clicks, but now we’ve seen a dramatic shift to it hijacking and influencing our emotions, and how we respond. « It feels like the natural progression in an ongoing conversation about what it means to be human in a tech-driven world – and the extremes of online culture. » ”
Source : Rage bait named word of the year 2025 by Oxford University Press