Far-right usage of social media

Far-right political groups use mainstream social media platforms for communication, propaganda, and mobilization. These platforms include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube. By leveraging viral trends, entertaining content, and direct interaction, far-right groups aim to spread their political messages, recruit followers, and foster a sense of community. Such activities are part of broader political processes and activities that involve the organization and spread of political values and ideologies.

The internet has facilitated new channels of communication that significantly impact the spread of news and the dynamics of political discourse. The interactive nature of social media allows far-right groups to reach wider and younger audiences, often using subtle messaging and popular social media tactics. Social media has become a crucial medium for how news and political information are consumed and shared, influencing public perception and civic engagement.

Far-right groups on platforms like TikTok engage with the youth through relatable and often non-political content to subtly promote their ideologies. This approach can affect political participation and election outcomes by shaping opinions and encouraging political involvement. Additionally, social media usage in political campaigns has become increasingly significant due to its communal and interactive nature, as users engage in discussions, share endorsements, and participate in collective actions such as voting encouragement.

Background

See also: Social media use in politics and Social media as a news source

Social media platforms are known for enabling anyone with an internet connection to create content and actively participate in political discourse. They enhance access to political information. However, many users primarily consume content passively, with content creation concentrated among a small group of active users. According to a Eurobarometer survey by the European Parliament, 79% of young Europeans aged 15 to 24 follow influencers or content creators on social media, highlighting the increasing use of these platforms for news consumption in this age group.

Use of traditional social media

Far-right influencers use strategies from influencer culture to spread reactionary messages and monetize their politics. They engage in viral stunts and create real-world commotion to gain online visibility, fostering a sense of shared intimacy with their followers. Additionally, they employ provocative tactics such as trolling and humor to build community and disguise hate speech, while also appearing authentic and relatable to maintain audience support. Far-right groups exploit technological affordances of social media platforms to maximize the reach and impact of their messages. They rely on replicability to share and alter content across different platforms, often decontextualizing messages to fit their narrative. Scalability is achieved through strategic use of algorithms and hashtags, allowing for broader audience engagement and visibility. Additionally, connectivity is enhanced by forming online communities that foster in-group solidarity and facilitate the spread of extremist ideologies, bypassing traditional media gatekeepers and leveraging direct communication with followers.

Facebook

Far-right groups have been exploiting Facebook's algorithmic tendencies to create ideological echo chambers, where conservatives and liberals largely consume different political news, leading to increased political polarization - although research is not totally clear on this point yet. Research has shown that changes to Facebook's algorithm significantly alter what users see and how they interact on the platform, with conservatives engaging more with political news and consuming more content flagged as untrustworthy or inaccurate. This asymmetry facilitates the spread of far-right misinformation, as politically aligned content is prioritized, encouraging conservative users to like, share, and comment more frequently on such posts. In addition to algorithmic manipulation, far-right militias and extremist groups have established strong presences on Facebook, using the platform to organize, recruit, and spread their ideology. They create private groups and pages that foster a sense of community and solidarity among members, often bypassing platform moderation policies. These groups frequently engage in activities designed to provoke conflict and gain visibility, such as trolling and viral stunts, and use Facebook's connectivity features to coordinate real-world actions and protests. Despite Meta's efforts to moderate content, far-right groups continue to leverage Facebook's features to maintain and grow their influence online.

Instagram

Far-right groups have adeptly utilized Instagram to recruit young followers and spread extremist ideologies. Instagram's visual nature and algorithmic design makes it subsceptible to these activities. Far-right influencers often post aesthetically pleasing images interwoven with subtle far-right symbols and messages. For instance, women influencers play a key by blending personal lifestyle content with right-wing hashtags and symbols like the Black Sun, which have deeper ideological meanings to those aware of their significance. Instagram’s algorithmic recommendations gradually expose users to more extremist content, fostering a sense of insider knowledge and belonging within far-right communities. This method creates filter bubbles and echo chambers where users repeatedly encounter content that reinforces their beliefs. For example, right-wing groups exploit hashtags such as #heimatverliebt (love of homeland) to attract followers and gently introduce them to extremist ideologies. Instagram's inadequate moderation has allowed groups like "The British Hand" and the "National Partisan Movement" to recruit young followers with minimal interference. These groups blend mainstream appeal with extremist ideology, using Instagram's visual and social engagement tools to build a community and propagate their messages. The platform’s inadequate content moderation makes it particularly vulnerable to far-right exploitation, with extremists using visually engaging content and weakly enforced policies to spread their ideology.

Political entities, such as Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), have also used Instagram’s ad features to promote divisive and hateful content. These ads often blame immigrants for societal issues, leveraging emotionally charged imagery, sometimes manipulated by AI, to incite fear and garner support. Despite Meta’s policies against hate speech and divisive content, such ads have reached significant audiences, highlighting the challenges in moderating politically charged content on such a large platform. By manipulating platform algorithms and exploiting visual appeal, far-right groups on Instagram have effectively created a recruitment pipeline that subtly guides young users from mainstream content to extremist ideologies, operating in plain sight and often evading content moderation efforts.

TikTok

Far-right groups have increasingly used TikTok to spread their ideologies, recruit members, and influence political processes, especially targeting young voters. TikTok's user-friendly video tools and personalized content algorithms make it an effective platform for disseminating propaganda. These groups often disguise extremist messages as benign or humorous content, which lowers resistance among younger audiences. Investigations reveal that parties such as Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Romania’s Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) manipulate engagement metrics by purchasing fake followers and likes, enhancing the perceived popularity of their content. This tactic has significantly impacted youth votes in recent European elections. Additionally, the platform has been a conduit for spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation, aligning with pro-Russian narratives and extremist ideologies across various countries. Despite TikTok's assertions of robust policies against harmful content, the platform remains a significant vector for far-right activities.

X (formerly Twitter)

Under Elon Musk's leadership, X (formerly Twitter) has transformed significantly, particularly regarding its openness to far-right and extremist content. Musk, who purchased Twitter in 2022, has positioned himself as a champion of "free speech," subsequently scaling back the platform's moderation efforts. This shift has led to a noticeable increase in right-wing and extremist content, including antisemitism and misinformation. A notable instance reflecting Musk's influence on the platform was the announcement of Ron DeSantis’ 2024 presidential campaign via Twitter Spaces. This event underscored the platform's strategic pivot towards engaging conservative and far-right audiences. Musk's tenure has been characterized by several controversial decisions, such as reinstating accounts previously banned for spreading misinformation and extremist rhetoric. This leniency has fueled the proliferation of far-right content. Media Matters’ investigations have repeatedly highlighted the presence and impact of extremist content on X. A report from Media Matters revealed that advertisements from major corporations were appearing alongside posts with pro-Nazi and white supremacist content. This led to several large advertisers pulling their ads from the platform, emphasizing the ongoing challenge of content moderation. Following this report, Musk announced a lawsuit against Media Matters, arguing that the report exaggerated the prevalence of extremist content. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also launched an investigation into Media Matters, aligning with Musk’s stance and further politicizing the issue. Overall, the changes under Musk's leadership have made X a more hospitable environment for far-right groups, amplifying their reach and influence in political and social spheres.