The Digital Spin: Political Agenda Setting on Alternative Social Media Platforms

Amira Jadoon, Ayse Lokmanoglu, Tess Hemmila, Ananya Gupta, Arie Perliger and Bart Knijnenburg

Social Science Quarterly, 2025, vol. 106, issue 6

Abstract: Objective This study examines how agenda setting operates in today's hybrid media ecosystem by investigating how mainstream political events during the 2024 US election year were discussed on alternative social media platforms. Methods The study analyzes over 2000 mainstream news articles about high‐profile political events from January to March 2024, and related discourse across Facebook, Gab, Truth Social, and Telegram using Structural Topic Modeling and sentiment analysis. Results Alternative platforms create parallel information ecosystems that challenge traditional mechanisms of agenda setting. Three dominant topics emerged: Trump and election issues (40%), global conflict and US foreign policy (20%), and immigration (20%). These narratives exploit fear and anger with negative tones, but also incorporate humanizing language. Conclusions Alternative platforms construct parallel information ecosystems that rival traditional agenda‐setting mechanisms.

Date: 2025
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