Toxic Fans: Distinctions and Ambivalence

Participation in online fandoms of popular culture has become today a mainstream activity, receiving much scholarly and industry attention. This attention has been both positive and negative, at certain times praising the enthusiasm and innovation of fans, while at other times criticizing toxic practices deemed disruptive and destructive. This paper reviews what is generally termed as “toxic fans,” in an effort to explicate its meaning as well as its underlying moral framing. Specifically, the etymology of the word toxic is considered so as to explain how it is used in current discourse about online fan culture. Following this discussion, it is argued that the nature of fan practices should be closely studied in relation to prevalent attitudes in contemporary society that are defined by fear and a certain “othering” of the online fanatic. Finally, the ambivalent nature of the word toxic is discussed in relation to the antagonism usually observed in producer/fan relations as these are conducted in online spaces