Tempering online discourse

It is no coincidence simplistic movements are finding success when our worldviews and personal relations are being shaped by chaotic and often ill-tempered online interaction. Opportunistic rabble-rousers are only too happy to ride this wave of digital bombast. The answer is a ripple of online civility.

There is nothing new about it. Newspaper comment sections have long been dominated by malign provocateurs, practical jokers and truculent ranters. Twitter and Youtube also harbour bands of rov...