"It's a terrible way to go to work:" what 70 million readers' comments on the Guardian revealed about hostility to women and minorities online

• Published in: Feminist media studies Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 592 - 608
• Main Author: Gardiner, Becky
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 04.07.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Black people; Comments; democracy; Electronic publishing; Ethnic groups; Guardian; Hostility; Journalism; Journalists; Men; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority groups; moderation; Moderators; News media; online abuse; participation; racism; Readers; Readers' comments; sexism; Women

In 2006, the Guardian opened many of its articles to readers' comments to encourage a "conversation" between journalists and their readers. Readers responded enthusiastically, and by 2016 they had posted 70 million comments on the site. However, from the outset many journalists compla...