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  1. Facebook is a prime example and, according to company statistics, 82% of users have more than 100 friends in their accounts.

  2. The Guardian: Cameron's under pressure from the Tory right for being a softie and, therefore, promised tougher action on the tabloid bad guys: killers, knife crime artists and squatters.

Usually comma is written before "and" in most cases. Why comma is after "and" in these sentences? I think this is because the sentence will be more clear if the reader stop reading (or speaking) for a half second at each comma. But I am not sure what are grammar rules here?

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    It's not coming after; it's part of a pair of commas separating a clause or word in manner akin to parentheses.........you can take out clause or words within the commas and the sentence still makes grammatical sense
    – Bruce Murray
    Jun 20, 2020 at 13:28
  • Normally a comma would appear before "and". In each of these examples, a comma must appear after "and", because the following clause is parenthetical. Because a comma appears after "and", we leave out the one before "and". Otherwise the flow of the sentence would be interrupted and feels awkward.
    – brainchild
    Aug 1, 2020 at 5:48

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I think this is because the sentence will be more clear if the reader stop reading (or speaking) for a half second at each comma.

Well, a comma is sometimes used to denote a pause. But in this case, it is not "a" comma after "and", but a pair of commas after "and".

We use a pair of commas to set of parenthetical elements (nonrestrictive clauses). A parenthetical element adds important information, but it is not essential to understanding the sentence. Parenthetical elements are not needed to identify a noun/noun phrase.

But I am not sure what are grammar rules here?

There are no grammar rules here. Just that nonrestrictive clauses are set off by a pair of commas when they are in the middle of a sentence.

In your first example, if you remove the parenthetical, the sentence still makes sense.

Facebook is a prime example and 82% of users have more than 100 friends in their accounts.

Compare this example:

The police quickly ran up the stairs and, concerned for the safety of the hostage, kicked the door down.

In this case, the parenthetical adds information that explains the reason behind their action. But it is not important in understanding the sentence itself:

The police quickly ran up the stairs and kicked the door down.

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  • In your first example, if you remove the parenthetical, the sentence still makes sense. In fact this is also true for the second example.
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Jun 30, 2020 at 8:49
  • I guess instead of commas you can use en or em dashes? And it's a matter of preference?
    – x-yuri
    Dec 12, 2021 at 18:23

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