Who do anonymous forums like Grapevine tend to become negative?
There are a few psychological and sociological theories that can help explain why anonymous forums may naturally tend towards negativity.
The separation from real-life consequences can result in people saying or doing things they wouldn't normally do, which can sometimes lead to negative behavior.
Some individuals derive satisfaction from creating conflict or distress for others online aka "trolling". Anonymous forums provide a fertile ground for trolls as they can typically act without direct consequences.
The larger the crowd, the less likely individuals are to take responsibility for a situation. In an anonymous forum, people might be less likely to step in and stop negative behavior, leading to a proliferation of such behavior.
Overtime this forum will see bots to promote propaganda of one company or to spread shit about other companies.
As a community there should be something around guidelines, rules, and constructs to reduce this. What are some of your suggestions?