Products · Broad category

News websites

Raised as a usability problem by 857 people on Hacker News over 19 years (2008–2026), in 805 threads.

This is a broad category rather than one product, so its issues aren't ranked on the home page.

Ranked by people · period

This year (last 12 months)Last 5 yearsSince the beginning (2007)

1
Ads take most of screen, making scrolling and reading nearly impossibleUnreviewed
23 people this year · 20 threads
2
Videos autoplay when an article opens, disrupting readingUnreviewed
4 people this year · 4 threads
3
Pages take several seconds to load, Fox News about 30Unreviewed
3 people this year · 3 threads

1
Ads take most of screen, making scrolling and reading nearly impossibleUnreviewed
89 people in the last 5 years · 82 threads
2
Videos autoplay when an article opens, disrupting readingUnreviewed
21 people in the last 5 years · 19 threads
3
Cancelling news subscription is ridiculously hardUnreviewed
20 people in the last 5 years · 15 threads
4
Pages take several seconds to load, Fox News about 30Unreviewed
11 people in the last 5 years · 10 threads
5
Article content shifts constantly, making reading nearly impossibleUnreviewed
11 people in the last 5 years · 11 threads
6
Paywall blocks access after clicking through to an articleUnreviewed
11 people in the last 5 years · 11 threads
7
Must close multiple cookie banners and popups before readingUnreviewed
9 people in the last 5 years · 9 threads
8
Cookie prompts, sign-up demands and article limits block readingUnreviewed
6 people in the last 5 years · 5 threads
9
Articles are hard to read on mobile browsersUnreviewed
5 people in the last 5 years · 5 threads
10
Back button reloads the same page instead of going backUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads
11
Site is unusable without an ad blockerUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads
12
Pages are slow, jump while loading, and autoplay videosUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads
13
Stacked popups block content and hijack the back buttonUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads

1
Ads take most of screen, making scrolling and reading nearly impossibleUnreviewed
222 people since the beginning · 208 threads
2
Videos autoplay when an article opens, disrupting readingUnreviewed
55 people since the beginning · 52 threads
3
Pages take several seconds to load, Fox News about 30Unreviewed
42 people since the beginning · 41 threads
4
Article content shifts constantly, making reading nearly impossibleUnreviewed
31 people since the beginning · 31 threads
5
Articles are hard to read on mobile browsersUnreviewed
28 people since the beginning · 27 threads
6
Cancelling news subscription is ridiculously hardUnreviewed
28 people since the beginning · 23 threads
7
Paywall blocks access after clicking through to an articleUnreviewed
25 people since the beginning · 24 threads
8
Must close multiple cookie banners and popups before readingUnreviewed
18 people since the beginning · 18 threads
9
Site is unusable without an ad blockerUnreviewed
16 people since the beginning · 15 threads
10
Back button reloads the same page instead of going backUnreviewed
15 people since the beginning · 15 threads
11
Cookie prompts, sign-up demands and article limits block readingUnreviewed
14 people since the beginning · 13 threads
12
Articles split across many pages, forcing repeated clicksUnreviewed
12 people since the beginning · 11 threads
13
Pages are slow, jump while loading, and autoplay videosUnreviewed
10 people since the beginning · 9 threads
14
Pop-up close buttons offscreen and huge banners waste screen spaceUnreviewed
9 people since the beginning · 9 threads
15
Ads make articles unreadable on mobile and redirect to shady sitesUnreviewed
7 people since the beginning · 7 threads
16
Colours and distracting layout make reading hardUnreviewed
6 people since the beginning · 6 threads
17
Forbes article links redirect to homepage, needing several triesUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
18
Article is confusing unless reader already knows the backgroundUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
19
Dark patterns keep users engaged against their wishesUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
20
Article pages show blank unless scripts are enabledUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
21
Stacked popups block content and hijack the back buttonUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
22
Article content fills only a small fraction of wide screensUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
23
Sticky headers and footers pop up while scrolling, obstructing readingUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
24
Content starts far down the page, below a large headerUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
25
Ads and autoplay videos make the back button hard to reachUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
26
Skipping an ad redirects to a page without the articleUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
27
Full-page ad blocks content; scrolling snaps back until timer expiresUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
28
Each comment forces an extra page load while readingUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
29
Popover covers half the screen and its dismiss button won't loadUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
30
Tiny close button opens a new tab instead of closing overlayUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
31
Can't figure out how to access the article textUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
32
Published date hard to find on some blogs and articlesUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
33
Sticky headers and modals block reading and break mobile landscape scrollingUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
34
Ad tracking opt-out is buried and slow to loadUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
35
Source links lead to other articles, not the actual documentUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
36
Timeline bar covers text while scrolling, forcing back-and-forthUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
37
Story text buried under links, videos, forms and adsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
38
Oversized sticky bars and sidebars make pages hard to read on small screensUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
39
Opting out of cookies forces 30-second wait, pushing toward acceptingUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
40
Banner pushes content down, causing wrong clicks and reloadsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
41
Dismiss button has deceptive hitbox; popup hijacks navigationUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
42
Links that look clickable all lead to same page or nowhereUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
43
App install pop-ups block reading and push app installsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
44
Floating social bar forces extra scrolling to reach next pageUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
45
Opt-out demands personal info, hidden steps, and a minute-long waitUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads

Every issue, all time, most people first

Ads take most of screen, making scrolling and reading nearly impossibleUnreviewed
222 people since 2010, in 17 different years · 23 this year
20082026
- Too many pop-up ads block reading the article2026-10-29
- Ads and tracking javascript make news sites practically unusable2026-10-15
- Video ad jumps full screen and blocks reading the article2026-10-09
Something wrong here?
Videos autoplay when an article opens, disrupting readingUnreviewed
55 people since 2013, in 14 different years · 4 this year
20082026
- Autoplaying ads make the actual content difficult to find2026-06-20
- Autoplay videos are deliberately hard to close, pushing users to keep watching2026-05-14
- Auto-playing video ads make the site unpleasant to use and drive users away2026-03-15
Something wrong here?
Pages take several seconds to load, Fox News about 30Unreviewed
42 people since 2010, in 15 different years · 3 this year
20082026
- Slow loading and pop-up obstacles make each article hard to reach2026-03-15
- Bloated news sites take forever to load on slow connections2026-01-05
- Newspaper sites are bloated, crammed with trackers and ads, slowing pages2025-12-04
Something wrong here?
Article content shifts constantly, making reading nearly impossibleUnreviewed
31 people since 2009, in 15 different years · 2 this year
20082026
- Content makes the user wait while scrolling down, as if on a slow modem2026-04-05
- Article content shifts around constantly, making it nearly impossible to read2025-11-24
- Page shifts while reading, so the reader keeps losing their place2025-10-21
Something wrong here?
Articles are hard to read on mobile browsersUnreviewed
28 people since 2008, in 13 different years · none this year
20082026
- Article page is almost unusable on mobile phones2024-05-01
- Sites are janky, slow to load and unpleasant to use on mobile networks2023-07-15
- Local news websites were previously completely unusable on mobile due to ads and clutter2023-02-27
Something wrong here?
Cancelling news subscription is ridiculously hardUnreviewed
28 people since 2017, in 10 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Subscriptions hard to cancel, requiring phone calls, with teaser rates jumping later2026-04-10
- Cancelling online triggers repeated discount offers to keep the subscription2025-07-21
- Cancelling requires going through a chat agent who keeps making small talk2024-08-21
Something wrong here?
Paywall blocks access after clicking through to an articleUnreviewed
25 people since 2015, in 11 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Forced sign-up prompt halfway through the article blocks continued reading2026-09-17
- Pushed to log in or subscribe before reading any content2025-01-13
- Must close several pop-ups before hitting a paywall that blocks the article2024-12-03
Something wrong here?
Must close multiple cookie banners and popups before readingUnreviewed
18 people since 2015, in 12 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Stacked popups, cookie box and video cover content on arrival2026-05-20
- Too many popups make the site hard to use2025-04-22
- Stacked cookie and subscription popups overlay the page, cluttering it with redundant dialogs2024-12-14
Something wrong here?
Site is unusable without an ad blockerUnreviewed
16 people since 2016, in 7 different years · none this year
20082026
- Many linked article sites are nearly unusable without an adblocker2025-04-30
- Sites are annoying or unusable without an ad blocker2023-02-28
- Publication websites are mostly unusable without an ad blocker2022-01-31
Something wrong here?
Back button reloads the same page instead of going backUnreviewed
15 people since 2012, in 10 different years · none this year
20082026
- Back button sends users to a 'Before you go' page instead of the previous page2025-07-26
- Back swipe returns to same page and shared URL points to unrelated article2024-10-11
- Back button returns to the news homepage instead of the page the user came from2021-12-18
Something wrong here?
Cookie prompts, sign-up demands and article limits block readingUnreviewed
14 people since 2017, in 8 different years · none this year
20082026
- Cookie consent, subscription ads and login alert block the article on mobile2025-06-16
- Arriving at articles to a paywall, cookie prompt, and subscription popup before content2024-05-13
- Cookie prompts, newsletter sign-up demands and article limits block reading the article2023-06-23
Something wrong here?
Articles split across many pages, forcing repeated clicksUnreviewed
12 people since 2008, in 9 different years · none this year
20082026
- Constant full-screen ads and accidental clicks sending users to new tabs make articles unusable2025-10-11
- Article pages are almost unusable when clicked through2025-07-23
- Article pages overload readers with links, sidebars, tickers and banners, causing headaches2021-10-09
Something wrong here?
Pages are slow, jump while loading, and autoplay videosUnreviewed
10 people since 2016, in 6 different years · none this year
20082026
- Auto-playing video, page crashes, and text jumping around the page2023-07-29
- Video player chases the user around the page trying to get them to play it2023-07-12
- Sites load heavy scripts, mining, and autoplay videos that make pages slow and unusable2021-12-06
Something wrong here?
Pop-up close buttons offscreen and huge banners waste screen spaceUnreviewed
9 people since 2015, in 5 different years · none this year
20082026
- Must click through cookie prompt, donation and newsletter popups, hunting for a tiny close button2021-06-16
- Pop-up blocks closing the browser window on iOS, forcing user to quit the app2021-02-25
- Close button flashes the signup button instead of dismissing the pop-up2018-09-03
Something wrong here?
Ads make articles unreadable on mobile and redirect to shady sitesUnreviewed
7 people since 2015, in 6 different years · none this year
20082026
- Ads and unexpected redirects to app download pages block reading the article2025-07-21
- Full-page ads and ads redirecting to scam sites on mobile without clicking2022-06-17
- Ads make the article impossible to read on mobile; redirects to shady site2020-03-07
Something wrong here?
Colours and distracting layout make reading hardUnreviewed
6 people since 2012, in 5 different years · none this year
20082026
- Overlay makes the article nearly unreadable, with content at very low opacity2022-08-15
- The layout is distracting2020-09-29
- Page layout and colors make reading the article unbearable and distracting2015-10-24
Something wrong here?
Forbes article links redirect to homepage, needing several triesUnreviewed
5 people since 2015, in 5 different years · none this year
20082026
- Clicking News leads to a page of movie affiliate links instead of news2023-05-30
- Clicking a cited source redirects to the news site's front page2022-02-01
- Forbes article links redirect to the homepage, sometimes needing several tries2017-06-05
Something wrong here?
Article is confusing unless reader already knows the backgroundUnreviewed
5 people since 2011, in 5 different years · none this year
20082026
- Article is confusing unless reader already knows the background2024-06-05
- Reader found the article confusing and hard to follow2021-11-06
- Updated articles repeat background and make it unclear what has already been read2019-09-11
Something wrong here?
Dark patterns keep users engaged against their wishesUnreviewed
5 people since 2017, in 5 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Sites use dark patterns that frustrate users to keep them engaged2026-03-19
- News sites bombard readers with dark patterns and clutter2024-04-12
- News sites are designed with dark patterns that push people to constantly refresh and feel outrage2020-05-26
Something wrong here?
Article pages show blank unless scripts are enabledUnreviewed
5 people since 2014, in 4 different years · none this year
20082026
- Article pages show a blank page unless scripts are enabled2021-06-14
- Site is pretty much unusable when NoScript blocks its scripts2017-06-03
- Object not visible on page unless scripts and blockers are disabled2016-08-12
Something wrong here?
Stacked popups block content and hijack the back buttonUnreviewed
5 people since 2018, in 4 different years · none this year
20082026
- Barrage of popups and overlays that break the back button2024-02-05
- Back button breaks, and stacked cookie, app and notification popups block reading2022-10-14
- Popups appear and the back button is hijacked, trapping the reader2022-06-08
Something wrong here?
Article content fills only a small fraction of wide screensUnreviewed
5 people since 2015, in 4 different years · none this year
20082026
- Narrow fixed-width layout and endless scrolling make news pages hard to read2022-03-04
- Article pages at wide browser widths are cluttered with sidebars and ads2019-03-16
- Article content uses only a small fraction of wide screens2018-10-12
Something wrong here?
Sticky headers and footers pop up while scrolling, obstructing readingUnreviewed
5 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Scrolling up instantly pulls the header back down2024-07-08
- Floating headers and clutter obscure readable article text while scrolling2019-09-01
- Overlapping headers, footers and cookie banners hide the article and move unpredictably while scrolling2019-07-04
Something wrong here?
Content starts far down the page, below a large headerUnreviewed
4 people since 2010, in 4 different years · none this year
20082026
- Lightweight browsers render news pages poorly; long menus must be scrolled past to reach content2024-12-16
- Must scroll a long way before reaching the actual content2021-12-06
- Content starts far down the page, below a large header area2011-08-04
Something wrong here?
Ads and autoplay videos make the back button hard to reachUnreviewed
4 people since 2012, in 4 different years · none this year
20082026
- Ads, lazy-loaded images and autoplay videos make it hard to reach the back button2021-01-05
- Broken back button, auto-playing videos, and lazy loading causing wrong clicks2020-05-20
- Laggy experience and back button hijacking make the site hard to use2019-07-22
Something wrong here?
Skipping an ad redirects to a page without the articleUnreviewed
4 people since 2008, in 4 different years · none this year
20082026
- Clicks land on ads that load late or cover the whole page2015-03-11
- Clicking skip on an ad redirects to a page without the article, playing another ad2012-02-03
- Must sit through a 15-second ad before reaching the homepage2009-12-05
Something wrong here?
Full-page ad blocks content; scrolling snaps back until timer expiresUnreviewed
4 people since 2013, in 4 different years · none this year
20082026
- Full page blocks content until the adblocker is turned off2020-08-05
- A full-page ad covers the article content when the site opens2017-11-19
- Full-page ad blocks content and scrolling snaps back until a timer expires2016-09-02
Something wrong here?
Each comment forces an extra page load while readingUnreviewed
4 people since 2012, in 3 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Reading comments forces an extra page load for each comment, hurting readability2025-12-07
- Page jumps to another story before comments load2014-05-09
- Pop-up window for comments breaks reading flow and feels like navigating to a new page2014-03-22
Something wrong here?
Popover covers half the screen and its dismiss button won't loadUnreviewed
4 people since 2016, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Popover covers half the screen and its dismiss button fails to load2018-09-23
- Pages shift while loading, and a popover blocks the page and won't close2017-01-23
- Jittery delayed popover fills phone screen and is hard to dismiss2016-10-12
Something wrong here?
Tiny close button opens a new tab instead of closing overlayUnreviewed
4 people since 2015, in 3 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Close buttons let clicks through to new tabs; arrows look like gallery controls but navigate away2026-10-10
- Close button is a 1-pixel sliver beside the scroll bar, hard to hit2021-12-06
- Giant overlay blocks reading and close button redirects to main page2015-08-20
Something wrong here?
Can't figure out how to access the article textUnreviewed
3 people since 2016, in 3 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Hostile page design makes reading articles frustrating, so the commenter leaves2026-03-20
- Can't tell how long the article is because comments pad the page2024-06-24
- Commenter cannot figure out how to access the article text2016-12-20
Something wrong here?
Published date hard to find on some blogs and articlesUnreviewed
3 people since 2014, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Impossible to find the published date on some blogs and news articles2024-07-22
- Posts show only month and day, so readers can't tell which year they're from2020-10-30
- Can't find the publication date of an article on the page2014-09-08
Something wrong here?
Sticky headers and modals block reading and break mobile landscape scrollingUnreviewed
3 people since 2015, in 3 different years · 1 this year
20082026
- Signup overlay covers article and blocks swipe-back navigation on phone2026-02-05
- On mobile landscape, sticky headers, popups and modals block reading and break scrolling2019-12-21
- Layout shifts and full-screen register or app popups block reading the article2015-04-24
Something wrong here?
Ad tracking opt-out is buried and slow to loadUnreviewed
3 people since 2008, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Opting out of ad tracking is buried, and the option takes forever to load2018-06-24
- Must log in every time to disable ads, adding steps and confusing instructions2015-03-11
- Ad screen says 'Your request is loading' misleading the user about what's happening2008-04-23
Something wrong here?
Source links lead to other articles, not the actual documentUnreviewed
3 people since 2021, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Links in the article lead to unrelated stories, so readers can't find the supporting details2024-08-29
- Visual articles have few pictures and reports lack links to their sources, forcing a separate search2022-09-11
- Links that look like sources just lead to other articles instead of the document2021-10-01
Something wrong here?
Timeline bar covers text while scrolling, forcing back-and-forthUnreviewed
3 people since 2012, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Menu bar animates in on scroll reversal, covering text and disrupting reading position2018-08-31
- Text is confined to a narrow portrait column on wide screens, forcing constant scrolling to re-read earlier passages2017-01-04
- Timeline bar covers text when scrolling, forcing back-and-forth to read full page2012-09-13
Something wrong here?
Story text buried under links, videos, forms and adsUnreviewed
3 people since 2015, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Article text is buried under embedded videos and related-article links2021-10-23
- Story text is buried under links, videos, signup forms and ads, making it hard to read2020-03-09
- News sites bury article text under ads, links, slideshows and sign-up prompts2015-03-12
Something wrong here?
Oversized sticky bars and sidebars make pages hard to read on small screensUnreviewed
3 people since 2014, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Fixed top and bottom bars leave only a few readable lines on small screens2020-10-15
- Oversized sticky top bars and distracting sidebars make pages hard to read on a small screen2016-03-17
- Fixed top region and social widgets make the page layout broken and hard to read2014-11-23
Something wrong here?
Opting out of cookies forces 30-second wait, pushing toward acceptingUnreviewed
3 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Opting out of cookies forces a 30-second wait, pushing users toward accepting2022-02-10
- Opting out of cookies is made convoluted with a fake long wait progress bar2022-02-10
- Cookie banner takes about three minutes to load and set preferences2021-01-08
Something wrong here?
Banner pushes content down, causing wrong clicks and reloadsUnreviewed
3 people since 2013, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Five large banners must be scrolled past before reaching the actual headline and content2021-04-15
- Banner loads at top and pushes content down, causing wrong clicks and reloads2015-03-11
- Banner takes 25% of the page and cannot be hidden2013-10-31
Something wrong here?
Dismiss button has deceptive hitbox; popup hijacks navigationUnreviewed
3 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20082026
- Dismiss button has deceptive hitbox near advert; popup hijacks navigation so user can't return2024-12-31
- Guilt-trip email popup with hidden dismiss button appears on scroll or back-button movement2021-07-28
- Popup reappears every 5 seconds after being dismissed2018-03-13
Something wrong here?
Links that look clickable all lead to same page or nowhereUnreviewed
3 people since 2011, in 2 different years · none this year
20082026
- Hard to navigate the site; links lead to unexpected pages2012-07-23
- Clicking links leads through several scraped pages before reaching the original source2012-02-19
- Frontpage links that look clickable all lead to the same page or nowhere2011-01-07
Something wrong here?
App install pop-ups block reading and push app installsUnreviewed
3 people since 2013, in 2 different years · none this year
20082026
- Repeated app-download popups push users to a worse app lacking tabs, zoom, and stable comments2025-07-25
- Forced app-download pop-up appears every time on mobile sites2013-06-12
- Constant app install pop-ups block reading the article and push users to install an app2013-05-13
Something wrong here?
Floating social bar forces extra scrolling to reach next pageUnreviewed
3 people since 2012, in 2 different years · none this year
20082026
- Only about 15% of page is content; share bar clutter and wasted space force excessive scrolling2022-04-18
- Spacebar doesn't work, site lags, and trackpad scrolling feels slippery2012-09-13
- Floating social bar forces extra scrolling to reach next page with space bar2012-08-14
Something wrong here?
Opt-out demands personal info, hidden steps, and a minute-long waitUnreviewed
3 people since 2020, in 2 different years · none this year
20082026
- Opt-out link is buried in text and requires filling in many personal details2021-02-12
- Opt-out takes over two minutes and shows a pop-out that only offers cancel2020-11-12
- Opt-out requires asking for personal info, hidden steps, unlabeled cookie sections, and a minute-long wait2020-04-30
Something wrong here?

This list counts all time; the period switch above only changes the ranking. Each issue is a group of similar complaints raised by at least 3 people in 3 different months and threads. Each line under an issue is Claude Haiku's summary of one of its latest comments, not a quote; follow it to read the comment on Hacker News.

Unreviewed issues were grouped by machine: Claude Haiku labelled each comment as a usability complaint, named what it's about and summed up the problem in a line, and a small model grouped similar problems. Nobody has checked them by hand. Expect mistakes.

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