Why are commenters on news sites so mean and bigoted?

[LED Dasher 228]

When I go visit sites such as Yahoo News, USA Today, and Daily Mail I hardly see the commenters engage in a discussion and instead critisize and insult each other. I always see hate and bigotry on these sites. When there is a story about politics on USA Today, conservatives and liberals are always hating on each other. When there are stories about the Middle East and Africa, the majority of commenters on Yahoo News tend to insult those places and are given "thumbs up" ratings. What's worse is when commenters offer a different viewpoint, the majority of commenters on Yahoo News give them a "thumbs down" even if the different viewpoint is objective and isn't bigoted. It's really disappointing to see this type of stuff because so many people visit these sites. These are sites where people get their news from, but these sites are just as bad as 4chan. What are your experiences?

[Judgement 445]

Yahoo is full of people that can't handle someone else's opinion. It's pretty much a leftwing site with a few conservatives here and there. Whenever a conservative posts something they automatically get thumbed down. My parents use Drudge report rather than all of those sites because the commenters are a little nicer to eachother.

I'm sick of people cussing at eachother too. Back up your opinions with facts not insults.

[Shanks 10,811]

It unfortunetely seems in far too many cases that the assholes seems to be the loudest voices but that dosen't mean they are the majority and it is not just politics where this is the case but pretty much anything else you can think of. It is a bit discouring to me that so many buy into the false left right paradigm, I am not saying that there aren't people with differences of opinion but it is clear that the establishment is using this to divide the public and get them at each others throats about trivial BS while the real issues get ignored. Both parties are bough and paid for and have exactly the same agenda except with slightly different rhetoric.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

because people + internet + no repercussion for their words = moronic assholes (hey kinda like what I just said)

 

bet those people wouldn't say what they do out loud to whoever they're directing it toward

[Fluttershyfan94 5,739]

Know this all too well, even on foreign websites the commenters are just rude, mean and they just seem to have nothing better to do. The thing is though, they're criticizing points often don't even make sense and it's really just them trying to prove a point that they don't end up proving by being mean. I just don't read comments, I hardly read news.

[Mephala 2,633]

People have anonymity for the most part, and as a result they feel they can say horrible things with no repercussions. While some are making good points, the rest are mostly petty arguments.

If you want to read the news, I'd recommend newspapers or magazines; they are much more reliable.

[Scootalove 10,685]

Commentors on news sites are too close-minded that they do not accept other people's opinions, other than religion they will argue about anything and voice their opinion in the worse way possible.

[Megas 27,214]

The biggest problem with sites like these is that they appeal to a wide variety of people when it comes to their topics thus it potentially attracts a lot more bad apples than many other sites would. Though chances are many opinions also depend on the writer of the articles.

 

It's also why I tend to avoid the comment sections of places like IGN or Gamespot, yet have no problem with Destructoid or Siliconera's

 

There's also a good possibility that the nature of the comments is by chance

[Celtore 2,769]

Yeah, the discussion quality in a lot of those news sites isn't much different than youtube comments... It's not just a problem with news sites, it's really a problem anywhere where people can speak behind a username that can't be linked to them as an individual. If only there were a way to approve only insightful comments...

Edited January 19, 2014 by Celtore

[deleteduser12304978 71]

The fact of the matter is, humanity is biased and stubborn, and until they stop being this way and open their minds, we will never see mature discussions in site like those you mentioned. Another point to bring up is the fact that society is ignorant, and only tries to see the bad part of something, and once they find it that is the only thing that matters. Even if the good outweighs the bad you won't be able to convince 100% of people that something is good if they know the bad aspects of it. You wont even be able to convince 80% of people.

 

Another problem is that most of the people who use social networking sites these days are immature preteens. Technically some are browsing the internet illegally, since you must be 13 years of age or older to browse the internet in the United States without adult supervision. Judging by some of the things that have been posted by this demographic, they aren't being supervised, or the parents are just as immature as the children. In fact, seeing the discussions on news sites like CNN or NY Times, the adults are in fact immature.

 

-end rant-

[Dr. Zerkagon 92]

Due to anonymity people are bigoted, if they want to say something horrible and not get punched without anyone knowing who really said it, they'd go for it.

[LED Dasher 228]

Yahoo is full of people that can't handle someone else's opinion. It's pretty much a leftwing site with a few conservatives here and there. Whenever a conservative posts something they automatically get thumbed down. My parents use Drudge report rather than all of those sites because the commenters are a little nicer to eachother.

I'm sick of people cussing at eachother too. Back up your opinions with facts not insults.

 

I thought Yahoo was full of conservatives since they always make hateful comments toward the liberals there. Anyway, whoever they are the commenters are just uninformed and resort to spewing vitriol rather than trying to find the truth. 

 

because people + internet + no repercussion for their words = moronic assholes (hey kinda like what I just said)

 

bet those people wouldn't say what they do out loud to whoever they're directing it toward

 

They are nothing but cowards. They think they are right and everyone else is wrong. 

 

The fact of the matter is, humanity is biased and stubborn, and until they stop being this way and open their minds, we will never see mature discussions in site like those you mentioned. Another point to bring up is the fact that society is ignorant, and only tries to see the bad part of something, and once they find it that is the only thing that matters. Even if the good outweighs the bad you won't be able to convince 100% of people that something is good if they know the bad aspects of it. You wont even be able to convince 80% of people.

 

Another problem is that most of the people who use social networking sites these days are immature preteens. Technically some are browsing the internet illegally, since you must be 13 years of age or older to browse the internet in the United States without adult supervision. Judging by some of the things that have been posted by this demographic, they aren't being supervised, or the parents are just as immature as the children. In fact, seeing the discussions on news sites like CNN or NY Times, the adults are in fact immature.

 

-end rant-

 

Couldn't have said it better. It's disappointing to see how angry, cynical, and hopeless many adults are these days. Even worse, their children end up learning that type of behavior from them.

Edited January 20, 2014 by LED Dasher

[Judgement 445]

I thought Yahoo was full of conservatives since they always make hateful comments toward the liberals there. Anyway, whoever they are the commenters are just uninformed and resort to spewing vitriol rather than trying to find the truth.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are liberals, but the conservatives are just as much guilty of spewing out insults in defense. People are kind of sickening. I wonder if they would cuss at each other in real life.

[Tigerpop198 696]

Well, they are behind a screen, so no one could do anything about it. None of them would have the gall to try to say anything face to face

[SanityNotIncluded 335]

It's been said before, but pretty much this:

 

I tend to frequent The Drum for political analysis for the reasons you cited OP, but even there, there are many like the ones you described. My favourites though are the ones who barrack for specific parties or people as if they were football teams. It's hilarious to watch them take an apolitical subject and turn into a Liberal or Labour bashing session in some incomprehensible, contrived fashion. What's also funny is where people make extremely broad assumptions about a person's beliefs based on a single attitude and use those assumptions as a personal attack.

 

For instance, let's say you don't support a specific action by a business: You must be a kitten kicking, baby blending Commie! Wait hold on, you do support them? Back to the boardroom with you, you heartless, money-scoffing nimwit neolib! It's frustrating that so much political discourse tends to play out in this fashion.

[Kelario 95]

People who want to fight do it in the comments. People who want news don't read the comments.

 

No problem here.

[Jack Spades 162]

It's our human nature to be hateful towards those who don't agree. I like that you taught me that word (bigotry). You learn something new everyday.

[Acchan 232]

I explain it as so:

When given the relative safety of anonymity, humans get stupid.

[34908734bdjofh73 61]

Because, people can't present thier opinions to others in a kind and respectful way on the internet.

[Midnight Dragon 264]

I'm going to be blunt about it:

Most of the people in existence are just plain stupid.

[Crystallize 279]

Ha. Thought I was the only one who noticed this. Especially Yahoo Australia. I want to slap the living fck out of all the commenters. They all act like little children whining and arguing about the most moronic things. One article of pretty tennis stars pop up and it starts arguments and complaints threatening to boycott Yahoo along with the feminazis who complain about rights and put out hate speeches towards men which blows up the comment section. Complete mess of trolls and idiots.

 

Then there are political articles.....

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one.

[Bucky McGillyCuddy 956]

Why don't you just toughen up and stop being such a Fluttershy? Who cares if people like to fight in the form of comments?

 

Oh, sorry, I thought I was on Yahoo news...

 

I don't read online news articles very much unless it's gaming or pony related but news journalists are almost always trying to write about controversial topics intended to generate friction for the simple fact people will want to give their two bits worth on the subject. It also gives you a sense of the intellectual power of the average online news reader when instead of actually discussing the topic sensibly they finds someone with a different opinion and take it as a personal attack. Also, when people are hidden behind a monitor they will say all sorts of things they wouldn't normally say to anyone's face out of fear of being slapped down. 

[SpitfiretheScrub 7]

Reading this thread reminds me of how different this place is and how much I love it already!

[Pinkie Dust 85]

it really is just sad hopefully it changes but I dont see that coming any time soon 

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

Reading this thread reminds me of how different this place is and how much I love it already!

 

I was thinking this as well. This forum really is a grand place, isn't it?

 

Anyways, the reason the reason people tend to be such jerks in the comment section is because they know they can get away with saying whatever they want. Being anonymous makes people feel like they can say whatever.