Discursive consequences of social media hostility: Chilling effects, avoidance, and intervention behaviors of emerging adults in the U.S. and Indonesia

There is mounting evidence that social media platforms facilitate the dissemination of hostility, potentially yielding detrimental effects on the discursive space. Exposure to such hostilities can be particularly problematic for emerging adults, given this age group's high sensitivity to social validation. Our study investigated how exposure to social media hostility can shape emerging adults' willingness to engage in or avoid social media discussions as well as their direct and indirect interventions. We also explored the moderating roles of prior victimization and online social support. Findings of quota-based surveys in the US and Indonesia suggest that exposure to hostility on social media can foster the willingness to engage in social media discussions and prompt emerging adults to curate their discursive spaces, either by blocking and avoiding hostile others or by counterspeech. Prior experiences of victimization and perceived online social support partly increased these associations, depending on the cultural setting. By and large, our findings demonstrate that emerging adults are active stewards of their social media environment rather than helpless victims. • Social media hostility predicts youths' online discussions in Indonesia and USA. • Social media hostility prompted youths to curate their discoursive spaces. • Past victimization increased the effects of social media hostility for Indonesia. • Online social support increased the effects on confrontative direct intervention. • In sum, emerging adults appear as active stewards of their social media environment.