Incivility in Online Discussion: An Examination of Impolite and Intolerant Comments

Incivility in online political discussion represents one of the most widely debated issues among scholars. Much research focuses on incivility disseminated by elites social media, paying less attention to user that spreads as a “bottom-up” reaction politicians’ posts. To fill this gap, article comments Facebook pages parliamentary candidates run-up Italian general election 2018. Distinguishing between intolerant and impolite comments, we observed extent former discussions is limited, linked highly sensitive radical right-wing populist communities. This would seem counter view all debate media inherently toxic harmful democratic deliberative processes. Impoliteness, contrary, adopted users express mutual hostility seems particularly based feelings partisanship, so disappear completely from forms participation “against other” are activated.