Filtering out the Opposition: How Cross-Cutting Discussions Increase Unfriending Through Political Corrections and Insults in Spain and Germany

Abstract

Social media platforms offer ample opportunities for dialogue between both sides of the political spectrum. However, prior research suggests that users sometimes unfriend dissenting voices. While some studies argue that unfriending may lead to homogeneous information environments and potentially to heightened polarization, others indicate that users unfriend to preserve a manageable level of diversity. This study contributes to this literature by examining how cross-cutting discussion is directly and indirectly associated to unfriending through two types of behaviors: being politically corrected, a positive interaction linked to democratic, civic dynamics; and being insulted, a hostile behavior and prominent aspect of online incivility. The findings, based on two cross-sectional surveys conducted in Spain and Germany, showed that cross-cutting discussion is associated to unfriending directly and indirectly through being politically corrected and being insulted for political reasons. We also found no statistically significant differences in the two indirect effects in both countries. Taken together, our findings emphasize that users actively shield themselves from opposing views regardless of whether interactions are deemed as constructive (corrections) or hostile (insults).