Civility Index
Civility ↔ Toxicity
Civility is not about politeness or avoiding conflict. Civility means maintaining the conditions that allow ongoing disagreement without the dissolution of the political community: attacking arguments rather than people, preserving space for opponents to participate as equals, and keeping the social fabric intact even in heated exchanges.
The 5 Indicators
Each indicator is scored 0–4. Click to expand for detailed scoring guidance and examples.
Respectful Tone
Does it attack the person or the argument?
Non-Dehumanisation
Does it treat all speakers as having equal standing?
Constructive Disagreement
Does it engage with the strongest version of the opposing view?
De-escalation
Does it reduce or increase the temperature of the debate?
Generous Interpretation
Does it attribute good or bad faith to opponents?