Comments on: The Rise of Online Hostility

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:49:18 +0000

*A* lot, sorry.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:48:13 +0000

You didn’t address gender specifically, but if you look at lot of the cyberbullying is directed at women. Some of the most horrific comments I’ve ever read have been found on feminist blogs. Threats of rape, physical harm, et cetera. It makes you wonder just what kind of culture we live in, that some men feel free to say these things on the Internet.

By: dhex

dhex — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:58:36 +0000

thank you andrea, i will check that out.

By: JBC

JBC — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:51:37 +0000

Agree with dhex here. Spreading the message of civility is one thing, legislating it is quite another.

By: The Sanity Inspector

The Sanity Inspector — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:03:17 +0000

Surfing from Jim Henley’s link…

Launching verbal attacks from a computer keyboard is akin to yelling abuse at other drivers while you’re in traffic. The setting makes you feel as if you’re in private, but in actuality you’re in public. The shift from considering your actions as private to acknowledging them as public is a wrench for many people, at least some of the time.

By: Andrea Weckerle

Andrea Weckerle — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:06:59 +0000

Discussion of possible legal approaches will require more time and space than available in a single comment. However, a good starting point for discussion is becoming familiar with George Washington University Law School professor Daniel Solove’s book “The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor and Privacy on the Internet.”

By: dhex

dhex — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:42:21 +0000

i’m interested/concerned about what sort of legal approaches you’re talking about.

By: Ellie

Ellie — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:36:07 +0000

I’ve noticed a huge increase in the use of “**hug**” as a response to trolling and this is, weirdly, the second blog tackling this issue I’ve read today.

Perhaps it was a short lived reaction to the anonymity and, as we adapt to it and networking links us to our comments, we are becoming more circumspect?

By: JefFlyingV

JefFlyingV — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:00:36 +0000

At times Andrea I have seen it as being accepted on many web blogs when it is conforming to the group think of the blog. The only time I’ve seen civility is when it is rigidly enforced on a blog for all it’s members and that is a rarity.

By: Andrea Weckerle

Andrea Weckerle — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:16:31 +0000

Online anonymity is a complicating factor, for sure. I’m not in favor of disallowing anonymity per se (in politically repressive regimes, it is often a necessity), but don’t feel it’s necessary in the vast majority of situations – and don’t support someone trying to hide their identity for illicit or unscrupulous purposes.

Yes, “creating and participating in online communities within which there are social norms that encourage civility” is an important step, as is not supporting (even indirectly or inadvertently) uncivil behavior.