A tag that shows the user’s geographic region (e.g., province or country), when they comment or post.

Regional identity tags aim to encourage more civil behavior by prompting users to act in ways that reflect well on their community and so self-regulate.

Shao et al. (2026) conducted a natural experiment on TikTok (Douyin) that leveraged the platform’s rollout of IP-based regional identity tags in 2022 (following regulation from the Chinese government). The study compared the impoliteness of comments posted before the policy rollout with those posted afterward, using a “regression discontinuity” model. The authors measured impoliteness using a score (ranging from 0 to 4) that added four dimensions of uncivil language: profanity, negative sentiment, indirect rudeness, and disguised profanity.

The results showed a significant and immediate decline in impoliteness following the introduction of the tags (looking at ±30 days around the cutoff), a decline that intensified over time. (Note: all effects we include are statistically significant, unless otherwise stated.) The core findings were also replicated in additional analyses that controlled for the content topics of the posts.

A separate mediation analysis found that the tags increased civility by priming self-regulation and a sense of perceived responsibility toward one’s regional group. Notably, the effect was not driven by a reduction in perceived anonymity, which runs counter to a common assumption that the primary mechanism through which identity disclosure improves behavior is de-anonymization. The findings suggest a social identity mechanism instead: when group membership is made salient, individuals are motivated to behave in ways that reflect well on their group.

Although the reported results are promising, there are limitations to consider. The study was conducted on a Chinese platform in a context characterized by strong state control of information and collectivist cultural norms, both of which may have amplified the intervention’s effectiveness. On the other hand, social identity mechanisms are robust across cultural contexts, so generalization remains a reasonable expectation. The mandatory location disclosure policy also raises privacy and legal concerns that could impede adoption elsewhere. 

Hostile and impolite language can discourage participation, erode trust in online communities, and contribute to polarization. Most platform responses to incivility have focused on content moderation: removing or penalizing harmful speech after the fact. Regional identity tags aim to prevent incivility at the point of expression by making users more aware of their social identity and how their content reflects on their group. This type of design intervention could complement existing moderation strategies and help platforms foster more civil discourse at scale.