Toxic speech as political participation: How social media users justify toxicity in political discussions

Abstract

Social media is where most people report experiencing toxicity. While existing research has documented the prevalence and predictors of toxic behaviors, less is known about how individuals who engage in toxicity perceive and justify their actions, especially on mainstream platforms. This study addresses this gap by conducting 25 in-depth interviews with individuals who were toxic in political discussions on Facebook and Twitter. The findings reveal that many view their toxicity as a form of political participation. Three distinct justifications for toxicity were identified: venting political frustrations, pursuing truth through blunt deliberation, and seeking to persuade or mobilize others. These findings suggest that toxic speech can function as a deliberate, albeit hostile, form of political engagement, and they highlight the diverse functions social media serves for politically motivated users. The study calls for targeted interventions to address the distinct motivations underlying toxicity.