Opposing comments boost engagement and shift attitudes on social media
The Influence of the Vocal Few: Evidence from Social Media Comments
Social and Information Networks
Summary
Sometimes, a few people who speak loudly in online comment sections can change how many others react and behave. The researchers did an experiment on Facebook posts by a racial justice group and found that when people post opposing comments, more users click and respond compared to when no comments appear. However, comments that support the group don’t have much effect. Another survey showed that seeing opposing comments can make people less supportive and less willing to donate to the cause. This shows how a small number of vocal commenters can influence a lot of others online.
What this means in practice
- •For social media managers: Adjust comment management strategies by anticipating how opposing comments affect user engagement and attitudes on posts.
- •For online platform designers: Design comment section features to understand and moderate the outsized influence of a few vocal users on public opinion.
Authors
Dante Donati, Lena Song
Abstract
Online comment sections let a small number of vocal individuals reach far beyond their own networks. We conduct a large-scale field experiment on Facebook that randomizes the presence and stance of comments beneath posts for a racial justice organization, reaching around one million U.S. users. Opposing comments increase reactions, comments, and link clicks by 15-43 percent relative to no comments, whereas supportive comments have little effect. A complementary survey experiment shows that similar opposing comments make attitudes less progressive and reduce donations to the organization. Through a common feature of online platforms, the vocal few can exert outsized influence.