Toxicity and the Effect on Digital Communities

Karen Watts DiCicco, Ph.D. Candidate

Committee Chair: Dr. Nitin Agarwal Committee Members: Dr. Elizabeth Pierce, Dr. Daniel Berleant, Dr. Ningning Wu

Social networks, or social media platforms, are used by many all around the world. In the U.S., 72% of adults acknowledge using at least one social media platform to browse multiple subjects or connect with family and friends on mainstream platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.… where established Community guidelines and enforcement mechanisms have been put in place to monitor toxic and misinformation content. However, platforms like Parlor, BitChute, etc.… non-mainstream platforms where content is unregulated, have enticed some users to migrate from a moderated environment, to platforms where uncensored content, toxicity and fabricated misinformation are unregulated amongst communities.