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Internet is Getting More Civil, a Study by Microsoft Says (fortune.com)

Posted by msmash on from the hmm dept.

While social media may feel like a trash heap at times, Microsoft released a new study on Tuesday that claims civility is spreading on the Internet... at least slightly. From a report: Microsoft's Digital Civility Index fell two points, to 66, in 2018, signaling that Internet users around the world are treating each other slightly better, although there's still plenty of room for improvement. The closer the index is to zero, the more civil people are toward each other. The survey measured the perceptions of teens and adults in 22 countries about their online experiences and the risks they face when spending time online. If the news that the internet is apparently becoming more civil comes as a surprise, U.S. readers may want to hold onto their seats. The civility index in the U.S. fell ten points in the past year to 51, showing the biggest improvement, according to a blog post from Microsoft.

3 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Feelings by drinkypoo · · Score: 1, Informative

    I can't argue about the validity of what they're measuring, but it seems they're measuring the perception of civility. It's entirely possible that people have become more "rude", but others are more willing to put up with it.

    TFA makes it clear that people are not becoming more civil, at least if it can be believed. History tells us it's better to believe Fortune than Microsoft, and I'm going to listen.

    But there was a dark side to the results. Microsoftâ(TM)s research found people were experiencing more consequences of online harassment, bullying, and unwanted contact. People reported losing sleep, feeling more stressed, and becoming less trustful of people both online and off. Each negative consequence increased three to four points in 2018.

    Though it seems thereâ(TM)s a reason why people are feeling like the Internet is slightly more civil than it was in 2017: theyâ(TM)re starting to unplug more. The survey found that 27% of peopleâ"a 4% increaseâ"said all of the negativity has prompted them to spend less time participating on social media and blogs

    So just to be clear, harassment, bullying, and unwanted contact are up, and people have stopped using services because of it, but civility is somehow also up? That doesn't even make a small amount of sense.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. Re:The two sides have stopped talking to eachother by sycodon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Sunday nights there is a radio show called Beyond the Beltway hosted by a guy named Bruce Dumont.

    It has a reasonably wide market I think on AM radio. He usually has an evenly matched panel of self professed liberals and conservatives of various stripes.

    Last Sunday he had a young woman on who worked for Democrats causes in one form or another and made a crazy statement...

    She had not heard of Northam's comments regarding infanticide, which pretty much blew up the internet for a few days until he went all black face.

    The reason she hadn't heard it, and didn't believe it (she stated such on the show) was that it wasn't on NPR, PBS, and a short list of far left sites she frequented.

    Perfect example of what you mention.

    And I should mention, only one side has stopped talking. The side that dismisses anyone who disagrees with them as racists.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  3. Re:The two sides have stopped talking to eachother by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1, Informative

    And I should mention, only one side has stopped talking. The side that dismisses anyone who disagrees with them as racists.

    That's not true. Both sides have stopped.

    It was the right that split off first with things like Rush Limbaugh network, Fox News, Storm Front. The left mimicked the right- CNN went to the left when Fox became popular (it may have had a slight left bend before then because journalists themselves tend to be more liberal- but it wasn't a deliberate bias like today); news sites like Huffington Post and Buzzfeed popped up. The left never really managed a viable alternative to the right wing radio editorials like Limbaugh- but they tried to crack that nut too several times.

    The phenomenon of ignoring the main stream and creating a "safe space" where everyone thinks alike, started on the right and was copied by the left.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch