Engaging or Silent? Social Media Commenting on Controversial versus Uncontroversial Issues

Background: The rise of online social networks (ONS) has significantly transformed how people consume information, engage in discussions, and form opinions. On OSNs, individuals often refrain from speaking when exposed to environments where opposing viewpoints dominate. However, prior research has not thoroughly examined how users with different stances—opponents, supporters, and neutral actors—interact in discussions of controversial and uncontroversial topics. Method: This study investigates how controversy influences network growth and homophiles on Reddit, using 28 meme posts as a sample. We collected and analyzed user comments to map the interaction networks and examined the network growth across different time intervals: 3, 6, 9, and 12 hours after the original post. Commenters' stances were identified through human coding, and the Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM) was employed to analyze relational dynamics. Centrality measures assessed the influence and interaction patterns among different actors. Results: The findings reveal that interaction networks for controversial memes grow faster than uncontroversial memes, with distinct reciprocal interactions between individuals. Notably, opponents in controversial discussions exhibited weaker connections with members who shared the same stance and stronger engagement with supporters. In contrast, supporters were likelier to connect with individuals with the same stance. Conclusion: This study found that users who hold differing opinions from the authors tend to connect with individuals holding opposing viewpoints, expressing their beliefs and attitudes on controversial topics. Meanwhile, supporters who align with the authors' views—representing most users—tend to form connections with those who share the same stance. These findings challenge the Spiral of Silence (SoS) theory, which posits that individuals remain silent in environments where their views are in the minority. By examining user interactions on controversial and uncontroversial issues, this study extends the SoS theory. Additionally, the research offers practical contributions, mainly for marketing strategies that aim to leverage the dynamics of controversial and uncontroversial discussions. While interaction networks of controversial topics grow more rapidly, they also tend to reach saturation faster.