The headline gives readers just enough information to create a question, but deliberately withholds the answer.
Instead of saying:
“Malia Obama attends a family event in Los Angeles,”
a page might write:
“Malia Obama was confirmed as…”
The reader's brain immediately wants to complete the sentence.
This is known as a curiosity gap.
The technique is particularly effective on Facebook and other social platforms because people can encounter the headline while scrolling quickly through their feeds.
A dramatic photograph makes the post even more compelling.
The problem is that the headline may not actually contain enough information to establish what happened.
A legitimate news report would normally identify the event, provide a date, quote a source, and explain what exactly has been confirmed.
A vague phrase such as “20 minutes ago” is not evidence.
Neither is a photograph.
And neither is a large number of comments claiming that something is true.
For stories involving public figures, readers should look for confirmation from established news organizations, official statements, verified accounts or direct statements from representatives.
Until then, the responsible approach is to treat the claim as unverified.