Who can blame these news/opinion outlets if comment sections are generating more than foul sludge?! Too, particularly nasty comments could create legal liability for the outlets, who don't want to pay some one(s) just to moderate their comments sections.
On the discussion forum side of things ... my impression, based on (obviously) limited experience is that Internet discussion forums have coarsened since the late 90s and very early 00s. Back ca. 1999 or 2000 Michael Moore had a discussion forum, populated with the predictable Libs and Progs. It was far less loony-toony than the DU of today. I think conservative discussion forums have coarsened, some, as well, but it's like comparing a yappy toy puddle (coarser conservatives) to a rabid rottweiler ( Libs & Progs).
In a wry but literal sense, this is largely Bush's fault ... because he won the Presidency when Libs and Progs thought was THEIRS. Doing far better than Clinton didn't help, and the Obama Libs and Progs thought would be messianic turning out to be horribly inept and ineffective - a pathetic contrast to Bush - has made things much worse. So to a large degree, it's Bush's fault.
Secondarily, Israel still exists, to many Libs' & Progs' bitter frustration, so JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSsssss!!!
