THE ETHICS OF DISCUSSION IN HYPERLOCAL MEDIA: USER PRACTICES AND THE ROLE OF A JOURNALIST

The paper focuses on the discussion analysis in local media regarding adherence to netiquette as a part of universal ethical standards. Current studies highlight the potential for conflict in social media, where users are often restrained only by moral standards. In media covering local communities, the quality of discussion plays a critical role. For this study, we selected comments on publications from December 2024 to February 2025 from four hyperlocal media in Russian nuclear towns, both citizen and professional. The analysis revealed that there are subscribers’ unethical comments containing hate speech or abusive language in all communities. Journalists, depending on the context, do not engage with the audience, communicate with them directly, or moderate questionable content. The author of the paper concludes that the media’s approach to users’ discussions is not dependent on the editorial team professional background, and that current methods of ethical oversight of discussions are insufficient.