Selective Moderation, Selective Responding, and Balkanization of the Blogosphere: A Field Experiment

Abstract

The idealistic view that the web can function as a public sphere for crosscutting discussions has been met with much skepticism. In the current study, a field experiment was conducted to assess the openness of abortion-related weblogs to input made by new users of the weblogs. Consistent with the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE), existing weblog users selectively responded to new user comments by refuting incongruent comments more frequently than responding to either congruent or neutral comments. Furthermore, they exhibited contrast bias by refuting rather than supporting neutral or even congruent comments made by new users. On the other hand, weblog administrators employed moderation systems on a very limited basis and did not selectively moderate comments, incongruent or otherwise, made by new users. Theoretical and social implications of these findings are discussed.