Exploring Discursive Strategies of Dark Participation: User Comments on Migration in New York Times and Τhe Guardian

Digital media have multiplied the range of voices circulating in the
public sphere(s), a terrain where journalists enjoyed special
communication power. Despite optimism, research has offered
mixed findings regarding the outcomes of participatory
journalism assuming both constructive and negative interactions.
This article draws from, and contributes, to a more nuanced
exploration of “dark participation”, a concept broadly used to
conceptualise online user contributions that are evil, tactical or
strategic. Specifically, the article focuses on user comments in
New York Times and the Guardian during the so-called 2015
“refugee crisis”. In addressing descriptive and exploratory
research questions, it illustrates how dark participation can
include disguised but equally strategic discursive strategies, like
disclaimers and “half-truths” which may not always transgress the
norms of civility but still tend to manipulate the conversation and
normalise stereotyping and exclusion. Moreover, the study
provides evidence associating antimigrant discourse with media
attacks invoking radical right-wing populist narratives of “leftist”
and “hypocritic” media operating as propaganda machines
aiming to undermine the media’s integrity and neutralise their
editorial position. The (intended) proliferation of antimigrant
views and discourses associated with media attacks can be
considered as a strategy to discourage inclusive and critical
media reporting.