Have you ever wondered why headlines sometimes include asterisks around certain words?
A recent email from a subscriber named William has raised concerns about this practice, and I’ve received similar feedback. He expressed frustration over the use of such formatting in our articles.
The reason for this approach is straightforward: technology platforms enforce strict content policies that can automatically block users who include specific terms. Words like “killing,” “assassination,” and “bombing” trigger censorship mechanisms on social media and email services.
When an article is published, it spreads across multiple channels—social media networks and email newsletters. If a headline contains a banned word, the platform may shadowban, delete, or even jail the user who shares it. Similarly, email providers may send such messages to spam folders or delete them entirely.
To ensure content reaches readers without being blocked by these automated systems, we use asterisks in headlines.
