Cross-Platform Reactions to the Post-January 6 Deplatforming

Abstract

We study changes in social media usage following the ‘Great Deplatforming’ inthe aftermath of the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Following theattack, several major platforms banned thousands of accounts, ostensibly tolimit misinformation about voter fraud and suppress calls for violence. At thesame time, alternative platforms like Gab, BitChute, and Parler welcomed thesedeplatformed individuals. We identify three key patterns: First, in studyingthe platforms that emerged among users seeking alternative spaces, we see highfrequencies of users bridging these communities announcing their intent to joinnon-mainstream platforms to their audiences on mainstream platforms. Second, focusing on platforms that were created to be alternative, anti-censorshipspaces, deplatforming preceded a sustained increase in engagement with Gabacross Twitter, Reddit, and Google search, while Parler saw a steep decline inengagement. Third, examining the language in these spaces, toxic discourseincreased briefly on Reddit and Twitter but returned to normal after the deplatforming, while Gab became more toxic. These results suggest that whiledeplatforming may precede a reduction in targeted discussions within a specific platform, it can incentivize users to seek alternative platforms where thesediscussions are less regulated and often more extreme.As these alternative spaces are often more political and extreme than their mainstream counterparts, deplatforming may drive single-platform improvements at the expense of the larger information ecosystem.