Offensive Language in Digital Communication: A Threat to the Sustainability of Politeness Culture

Abstract

This study discusses the phenomenon of escalating offensive language in digital communication, which poses a significant threat to the sustainability of politeness culture in Malaysia. The research problem arises from the openness of social media platforms, which allow users to express comments without boundaries, thereby contributing to the normalization of impoliteness within the digital ecosystem. Consequently, the primary objective of this paper is to explore the factors contributing to the widespread use of offensive language in social media interactions and its impact on traditional societal speech etiquette. This study utilises a qualitative approach, employing a qualitative content analysis design, and is anchored in the Online Disinhibition Effect Theory (Suler, 2004). A total of 7,757 comments from viral issues related to politics, 3R (Religion, Race, Royalty), and crime on the Facebook platform were analysed. The findings reveal eight dominant categories of offensive language, with references to intellect (31%), animals (27%), and body parts and biological aspects (16.2%) being the most prevalent. The discussion highlights that factors such as Dissociative Anonymity, Invisibility, Asynchronicity, Solipsistic Introjection, Dissociative Imagination and Minimization of Authority in cyberspace have dismantled barriers to empathy and user self-control. The study's implications emphasise that if this trend remains unchecked, the sociolinguistic identity of the Malaysian community which is rooted in linguistic politeness and the preservation of "face" will continue to erode and be replaced by a toxic communication ecosystem. This research proposes the empowerment of digital sociocultural literacy to reconstruct healthy communication ethics among netizens.