In his autobiography, Damon Hill described newspapers as 'the confusing froff of life'.
Unless an article shared here or the fedi, my curated feed reader, I no longer visit BBC news, or Guardian, or others. I don't buy or read papers laying around the office.
My mental health is better for it.
It's not a case of 'ignorance is bliss', it's a case of knowing myself, my moral compass; which issues warrant energy and emotional investment, joy and anger, without the other white noise.
@GeorgeG I have AdGuard on my Android phone, use ReVanced to block YouTube ads, and used a patched Instagram app. I won't navigate the Internet without an ad blocker. I'm mostly done with social media sites with algorithms. I don't watch 'normal' telly, I do pay for streaming services but I'm also a firm believer that TV/movie piracy isn't theft; somewhere down the line it'll be shown on a streaming platform or free with annoying ads anyway. If I like it, I'll support it, and I'll buy it.
@Clavius_42 I have a personal firewall up against advertising. As in, if I don't come up with a need on my own, I prob'ly don't need that thing they are wanting me to buy. Saves huge amounts of money and storage space, not to mention wasting my attention on the ads themselves.
I don't watch TV or streaming stuff, don't listen to the radio, don't read the sale circulars that come in the mail.
I receive emails from the folks I want to read and choose my own news stories to read.
😜