I just don’t think alternatives are able to effect mass media narratives the same way. Think of it this way.
First, narrative control was mass media control. Then new media showed up. New media control started by flooding it with state activity. That didn’t go far enough. So next we get search algorithm changes, staring with Google’s individual search bubbles which allows for R&D of advanced “forum sliding” techniques being ported into “the algorithm”. Those algorithm techniques then get ported to every major social media platform and everyone is confused as to why every single platform slides every single user into right wing extremism.
Reddit and Twitter remain the exceptions because forum sliding works for the posts but doesn’t work well enough for the comments. Comments become the place for counter narratives and they are starting to show up in search bubbles because the article triggers state narrative but the commentary produces counter-narrative.
Yes, there are alternatives, but they don’t have search juice yet and likely won’t for a specific amount of time - say 3 months, say 9 months, whatever.
If this is state coordinated action, as I theorize, then the window to searchability is likely understood roughly or even potentially influenced since search is state influenced. This means that within this window we should expect the state to be taking actions that require counter narratives to die. We see this with Ukraine now. I dread the possibility that the social media disruption is a harbinger and not a reaction.
I just don’t think alternatives are able to effect mass media narratives the same way. Think of it this way.
First, narrative control was mass media control. Then new media showed up. New media control started by flooding it with state activity. That didn’t go far enough. So next we get search algorithm changes, staring with Google’s individual search bubbles which allows for R&D of advanced “forum sliding” techniques being ported into “the algorithm”. Those algorithm techniques then get ported to every major social media platform and everyone is confused as to why every single platform slides every single user into right wing extremism.
Reddit and Twitter remain the exceptions because forum sliding works for the posts but doesn’t work well enough for the comments. Comments become the place for counter narratives and they are starting to show up in search bubbles because the article triggers state narrative but the commentary produces counter-narrative.
Yes, there are alternatives, but they don’t have search juice yet and likely won’t for a specific amount of time - say 3 months, say 9 months, whatever.
If this is state coordinated action, as I theorize, then the window to searchability is likely understood roughly or even potentially influenced since search is state influenced. This means that within this window we should expect the state to be taking actions that require counter narratives to die. We see this with Ukraine now. I dread the possibility that the social media disruption is a harbinger and not a reaction.