Journalism, Online Comments, and the Future of Public Discourse

For I take it that your silence gives consent. —Plato, Cratylus, 435b1

Their first duty—the reporting of news—ensures the citizenry has access to reliable information to make informed arguments and decisions.

Stories that make us laugh or angry or sad are more likely to be talked

the average online community in 2016 was achieving engagement rates of 50% lurk-ers, 23% contributors and 27% creators.

Jürgen Habermas,

Participation inequality will never disappear,

“evolution of participa-tory spaces” and the “responsiveness of news.”

The internet reflects people’s propensity for conflict and hate as much as it displays their empathy and desire to be understood.

John Suler