I think it’s time we had a talk. No, no, you aren’t in trouble, there are just some things I’ve noticed recently. Not that, you know I don’t care about that, no, this has to do with you leading people on. Look Internet, I’ve heard that excuse before, but I’m serious this time. It’s not…No, it’s not okay to publish articles that have no legitimate fact in them and claim that they are the truth. I know, I know that’s what you’re good at, and by all means I don’t expect you to stop click-baiting people, just you know, have a little bit of journalistic integrity is all. Like what? Well, I mean if you really want to know, I’m just tired of you guys leading on the unsuspecting public with false articles about comic book movies. What? What’s so funny? Yes, really. I mean that’s the first step right. Hey, where do you think you are going? Seriously, come back here. Dammit…
Okay so exposition aside, earlier this month I wrote an article about how absolutely pissed off I was that Variety claimed to have this insider information about Captain America 3. 
While the news itself isn’t what pissed me off, the fact that no claims as to how they got this information were published. I understand not giving the name of the source, but a very simple “We have received a tip” or anything of that ilk would have subsided the raging inferno of nerd hate inside me. Instead we are left with an article that seemingly addressed the big ‘ole memo we all got in the mail about RDJ being in the new Captain America. Oh, you didn’t get that memo, me neither. That may have something to do with the fact that it doesn’t exist, so for the love of God, give us some reason to believe what you are saying is information and not complete conjecture.
That being said, the internet ate this up, lo and behold, Marvel released a huge press conference releasing their upcoming slate of films along with the title for Captain America 3: The Civil War. “&#$^, I feel like an ass.” I said as I grumbled to myself while at work. Normally this news would have had me ecstatic, Black Panther is one of my favorite Marvel characters and I’ve been wanting a Captain Marvel film since I read Carol Danvers’ series. But something loomed over me, my point had become moot because of this news. My voice drowned out by horrible journalism. Then I came to the realization, this is above me.
This point is all the more relevant now. Now that Variety was correct in their baseless assumption (I assume it wasn’t baseless, I’m just being dramatic to make a point), websites all across the web can make similar click-bait assumption riddled articles for the publicity it brings. I mean if Variety can do it, why can’t we?
I sat on this feeling for a few days before I started seeing “Benedict Cumberbatch confirmed as Doctor Strange” articles everywhere.
The reason we haven’t made an article about that is because IT ISN’T TRUE. While Cumberbatch is my favorite choice, he is not, infact, confirmed for the role. He is IN FACT in the top running for the role, in the top two even, but this does not mean he IS going to play Doctor Strange. What it means is that it is likely. Now, being that I want him in that role, I have clicked almost all of these previously mentioned “click-bait” articles, hoping that, maybe today it was finally released, to no avail. The most upsetting thing about this is that there are websites I typically trust with this information and websites I don’t even visit because of this kind of nonsense, and it seems that these trustworthy websites are even giving into feeding the masses this bullcrap. It really upsets me.
All I ask is if it is an article that is speculation, claim it as such. If it is rumor, claim it as such. If it is “fact” given from a “source”, claim it. For Gods sake, I am aware we aren’t reporting on war crimes with theses articles, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t journalists. We still have to comply by the same code of ethics.
