[Purpose/significance] This paper puts forward the basis of response start of emergency network public opinion,divides the response start levels,and determines the time node of response start,which is of great significance to improve the ability of the government and related departments to control emergency network public opinion,maintain social stability and promote the benign running of economic society. [Method/process] The paper makes an in-depth analysis of the emergency network public opinion response start through literature research,case analysis and model construction. [Result/conclusion]The basis of emergency network public opinion response start includes the evolution scale,emotional intensity and secondary hazards of emergency network public opinion. The response start level of emergency network public opinion can be divided into levelⅠcrisis start,levelⅡemergency start,level Ⅲ fast start and level Ⅳ initial start. According to the correlation between the loss caused by emergency network public opinion and the cost of response,the paper constructs three context models and analyzes the timing of the emergency public opinion response start in the three contexts.