Clarke, B., & Thompson, W. H. (2025). Fast and furious: Temporal patterns of incivility in online comments. New Media & Society.

Link: https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251359624

Open access: Yes

Notes: Online harms—like any other form of online communication—have their own times and rhythms. In this paper, Clarke and Thompson investigate one key element in understanding the temporality of platformized violence: the relationship between speed of commenting and incivility. Drawing on a quantitative analysis of over 38 million comments in The Guardian online forum, the authors remark three key insights: 1) blocked comments (that is, comments that were deemed uncivil) are posted quicker than visible comments, 2) blocked comments are quicker compared to a user’s visible comments, and 3) blocked comments increase the likelihood of more blocked comments with decreasing time intervals. By highlighting the temporal elements of online harms, the authors emphasize possible technical procedures to address uncivility online, specifically noting mechanisms that slow down posters.

Abstract: Incivility in online comment sections is pervasive and has significant societal implications, including impacting mental well-being and increasing polarisation. This study investigates the relationship between speed of commenting and incivility, using a dataset of 38 million comments from The Guardian Online. We hypothesise that quicker responses are more likely to be uncivil and that incivility propagates through a contagion effect. Our analysis reveals that blocked comments, used as a proxy for incivility, are posted significantly faster than visible comments, for both parent and child comments. In addition, we find that the presence of blocked comments increases the likelihood of subsequent blocked comments, with decreasing time intervals between them. These findings suggest that incivility is associated with impulsive, fast thinking, while civil discourse will sometimes require slower, more deliberate practices. Our results have implications for designing online platforms to foster healthier and more productive discussions by encouraging deliberative time before readers post.