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In theory, everyone needs a platform, to be heard. It seems to me that one question in that context is this:

How can you give people a platform, but at the same time, tame the conversation?

Back in the golden age of phpBBs, I would give posters 1 notice when veering OT or getting nasty, then transfer the (sub-)thread to our 'FlameWar' room. There, they could, and would, be as nasty as they liked to each other. I failed to stem the flow of toxicity, but merely re-directed it. It worked out pretty well, and ironically, the more toxic categories were the most popular viewed threads for trolls and lurkers, alike. Go figure.

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