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Politically-engaged Redditors tend to be more toxic -- even in non-political subreddits (www.psypost.org)

submitted 11 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Politically-engaged Redditors tend to be more toxic -- even in non-political subreddits::A new study links partisan activity on the Internet to widespread online toxicity, revealing that politically-engaged users exhibit uncivil behavior even in non-political discussions. The findings are based on an analysis of hundreds of millions of comments from over 6.3 million Reddit users.

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[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 0 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I'd imagine the same is true for Lemmy and politically engaged people (at least online) overall.

[–] paholg@lemm.ee 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'm not so sure. The study discusses specifically people who engage in partisan subreddits, which is not the same as being politically engaged. It also uses an AI to grade toxicity, which surely mischaracterizes many interactions.

For example, I have been in communities of a non-political nature, where political discussions occur. These are often about real issues that affect real people in the community, and yet there are people complaining about political content.

To complain about political content is, at best, a very privileged take, demonstrating that you are in a position where politics do not affect you much. At worst, it is actively hostile behavior with the goal of continuing the status quo and shutting down discourse. I would call most of these kinds of comments "toxic", and yet the rhetoric is usually fine, so I doubt an AI would agree.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'd say if you are politically engaged, the likelihood of you being in a political internet community is fairly high.

To complain about political content is, at best, a very privileged take, demonstrating that you are in a position where politics do not affect you much.

Could just be that they don't care for politics in that community. Time and place for everything and it seems some feel the time and place for politics is everywhere all the time. It can be tiring. I don't remember what year it was that pretty much every single place was talking about immigration politics. Important topic for sure but a meme community about funny road signs isn't the place for heated soapboxing about closing down the border.

[–] Kichae@lemmy.ca 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The thing is, what a politically engaged person thinks of as "politics" and what a disengaged one does probably has limited overlap. People probably aren't bringing the Tories or the Republicans up in a D&D community, but bring up race portrayal or representation for disabled people and watch the sparks fly.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

People probably aren't bringing the Tories or the Republicans up in a D&D community, but bring up race portrayal or representation for disabled people and watch the sparks fly.

I wouldn't bring up either up during a game. Unless I was prepared for some serious eye rolls and not being invited again lol.

And unfortunately people do bring up the former during all kinds of shit. Politic brains are wild.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 1 points 11 months ago

People in a D&D subreddit aren't playing D&D; they're talking about playing D&D. Those are completely valid topics to bring up.