Can’t Look Away—Or Log Off
You know the news is stressing you out, but the idea of not knowing what’s happening feels even worse. That tension—between wanting peace and fearing ignorance—is the territory of fear of missing out, or FOMO.
From Parties to Push Alerts
FOMO is usually associated with social life: the worry that others are having rewarding experiences without you. But the same fear has migrated into our information habits.
Studies across countries show just how widespread it is. A 2013 survey found that more than half of Americans experienced FOMO on social media. Later research reported FOMO in 67% of Italian users in 2017 and 59% of Polish teenagers in 2021.
When news breaks, that social FOMO morphs into informational FOMO: What if something crucial happens and I don’t see it?
Refreshing for Catastrophe
A 2024 digital behavior study by Mandliya and colleagues captured this in action. Many users repeatedly refreshed news and social media channels during rapidly evolving events, driven by the need to avoid missing critical updates—even when those updates were overwhelmingly negative.
The result is paradoxical. In trying to protect themselves by staying informed, people end up prolonging their exposure to distressing content, deepening the very anxiety they’re trying to soothe.
Why Bad News Feels “Crucial”
Psychologist Bethany Teachman notes that FOMO is especially potent when it comes to negative information. Missing out on good news feels inconvenient; missing out on bad news feels dangerous.
That instinct nudges people toward doomscrolling: scanning for fresh threats, checking whether the situation has worsened, and verifying that they haven’t overlooked a new risk. Each refresh offers a fleeting sense of control—before the next wave of worry hits.
A Loop with No Ending
FOMO and doomscrolling feed each other:
- Anxious headlines spark fear that the world is spiraling.
- FOMO whispers that not checking could be irresponsible or unsafe.
- Each check brings more troubling news, raising anxiety.
- Higher anxiety intensifies FOMO, and the cycle tightens.
Even people who insist they “don’t doomscroll” often show the behavior in practice, revealing a gap between what we believe about our habits and what we actually do.
The Takeaway
FOMO turns news into a race you can’t win: every update promises reassurance, but each one invites another check. In a world of constant alerts, the fear of missing out doesn’t just waste our attention—it quietly chains us to the most distressing stories.