I have the same feeling; it seems the 2020 election fight was far less intense than the 2016 one - but it might just be me being less on Reddit.

One very important factor is COVID, though - a lot of headlines simply focus on everything surrounding it; it steals the spotlight quite well, which would otherwise be on politics.

My deeply unscientific opinion on the cause of the difference between the 2016 and 2020 election discussions on Reddit:

- As you said, concern about Covid diluted the vitriol in a lot of political threads

- In 2016, t_d was in ascendancy, and its members would flood other subreddits with their talking points. After that, sub moderators established stronger anti-brigading rules. In 2020, t_d was either banned or made private, I forget which.

- A lot of the highly charged flash points of 2016 were no longer that relevant in 2020: Syrian refugees, trans bathrooms, 'identity politics'

- 2016 also had 2 polarizing candidates. In 2020 only one was still looked at that way.

> it steals the spotlight quite well, which would otherwise be on politics.

Or another one issue which is deemed of high importance (terrorism, for example).

I'm guessing it's selection bias on your part, but that may be selection bias on my part.