Dark participation is an umbrella term for manipulative online communication, encompassing all the ways that online participation generates deliberately negative and often destructive content. It ranges from trolling of a single individual by another individual to hate campaigns directed at individuals or groups to the deliberate spread of disinformation by state-sponsored actors to large populati
What Is Dark Participation? (Plain Language Explanation)
Dark Participation refers to a pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that many people experience. While it can be challenging, it's also well-understood and treatable.
Key Terms to Know About Dark Participation
- Symptoms: The specific ways dark participation shows up for you
- Triggers: Situations or thoughts that activate or worsen dark participation
- Evidence-based: Treatments backed by scientific research
- Comorbidity: When dark participation occurs alongside other conditions
3 Things Most People Don't Know About Dark Participation
- Dark Participation is far more common than most people realize
- Dark Participation is not caused by weakness — it has identifiable biological and psychological causes
- Most people with dark participation see significant improvement with the right support
Your Next Steps
Learning about dark participation is just the beginning. If you think you're experiencing dark participation, speaking with a mental health professional is the most valuable next step.