Betteridge's Law: Decoding Question Headlines
2025-05-04
Betteridge's law, stating that any headline ending in a question mark can be answered with 'no', is a journalistic adage tracing back further than its 2009 coining by Ian Betteridge. News outlets use this questioning style when lacking definitive evidence or certainty. Studies show the law isn't universally true, particularly in academic journals. However, it highlights how question headlines often exaggerate or create controversy, prompting readers to approach news with critical thinking.