Big Technology Podcast The Rise Of Conservative Social Media — With The New Yorker's Clare Malone and Stanford's David Thiel
Jan 19, 2022
Clare Malone, a staff writer at The New Yorker, delves into the world of conservative social networks, particularly Gettr, while David Thiel, CTO at Stanford Internet Observatory, shares insights from his research. They discuss Gettr's growth as a rival to Twitter and its strategies for international expansion. The pair explores user engagement challenges, the influence of figures like Guo Wengui, and the complexities of content moderation. They also examine how platforms influence political discourse ahead of the 2024 election.
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Getter: A Conservative Twitter?
- Getter is a Twitter-like platform for conservatives, lacking private messages.
- It mirrors content from Twitter, raising questions about its unique value proposition.
Conservative Deplatforming Drives Getter's Growth
- Big tech platforms, after January 6th, increased banning of conservative voices, particularly regarding vaccine misinformation.
- This fuels the growth of alternative platforms like Getter, as conservatives feel targeted.
Challenges and Growth of Niche Social Networks
- Niche social networks face challenges due to limited unique content and an echo chamber effect.
- Deplatforming from mainstream sites and network effects can drive user adoption, but sustained engagement requires diverse interactions.
