1st Edition

Trolling Democracy How Trolls Distort Digital Discourse

By J. Benjamin Taylor, Sean Richey Copyright 2026
138 Pages 22 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

138 Pages 22 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

The Internet is a hub for gathering political information and accounts for significant political activity; however, social interactions online are often disrupted by trolling. As digital democracy continues to evolve, understanding trolling is crucial for developing strategies to foster a healthier online environment conducive to democratic engagement. Understanding the objective of posting... Read more

1. The Impact of Trolling on Democracy  2. Deliberative Democratic Theory and Trolling  3. Who are the Victims of Online Harassment and Trolling?  4. Need for Chaos Scale: Psychological Determinants of Internet Trolling  5. Nonpsychological Predictors of Trolling  6. Identifying Trolling and Trolls Online  7. The Effect of Trolling on Down-the-Line Behaviors  8. Conclusion: Trolling, Deliberative Democracy, and the Path Forward.  Appendix

Biography

J. Benjamin Taylor is Associate Professor of Political Science at Kennesaw State University. He researches and teaches courses on American political behavior. He has published several books and academic journal articles in Political Communication, State Politics & Policy Quarterly, American Politics Research, Politics & Religion, and Presidential Studies Quarterly.

Sean Richey is Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University. He was a Fulbright Fellow from 2013 to 2014 at the University of Tokyo. He was a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Tokyo between 2004 and 2006. He researches American politics, specializing in elections, voting behavior, public opinion, and quantitative methodology. His research has appeared in two peer-reviewed books and academic journal articles, including in Political Research Quarterly, the British Journal of Political Science, Political Communication, Political Behavior, International Studies Quarterly, and others.