Postponed: Online Civility Conference

At a time when it seems, we can’t agree on anything 98% of Americans state that incivility is a serious problem; while 68% agree it’s reached crisis levels. From cyberbullying, to hate speech, to workplace harassment, to nasty Twitter exchanges, and intolerance, the vast majority of us (87%) no longer feel safe sharing our perspective. While there are many factors that fuel our propensity toward incivility, communication experts point to one primary culprit—online communication. According to a national survey, 63% of respondents said online interactions have been mostly negative and have put a strain on relationships. In the course of a normal week, you can expect 5.5 negative online interactions.

Have you had conversations on Facebook or Twitter spiral out of control? And, have these negative interactions stayed with you long after the conversation ends? Managers at Fortune 1,000 firms spend the equivalent of seven weeks a year dealing with the aftermath of incivility. What can be done? Is it possible to transform our online communication to one that imparts civility and empathy to our relationships rather than division? Join Biola’s Department of Communication and the Winsome Conviction Project as we address online incivility from diverse specialties such as organizational communication, rhetoric, gender, and diversity.