Social media shifts will harden US political divisions

Significance

Millions of them have joined alternative social media platforms such as Parler and Telegram. Content alleging that the election was 'stolen' circulates freely on these platforms, together with conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic and white supremacist content.

Impacts

• Conservative social media platforms will shift, not solve the misinformation problem.
• Conservatives migrating to their own platforms may help fulfil the claim that liberal voices dominate Facebook and Twitter.
• Legislation to rein in 'big tech' may exclude smaller platforms, leaving some that cater to the radical right unregulated.