Where Alternative Social Media Platforms Stand Before Midterms

A number of "alternative social media" platforms refuse to crack down on misinformation campaigns — an issue ahead of the midterm elections.

After the 2020 election, alternative social media platforms like Parler, Gettr and Gab experienced surges in amount of users, especially after former President Donald Trump was banned from established social media. But since then, these spaces have seen their role diminish.

A recent report from the Pew Research Center found only 6% of adults regularly get news from at least one alternative social media space. Of the platforms Pew evaluated, none drew more than 2% of Americans looking for news.

"If you look at that 6% of people who get news on any of these sites, 66% are Republicans or lean toward the Republican Party, and a third are Democrats or lean Democratic," said Galen Stocking of Pew Research Center. "This is a contrast with more established social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and YouTube, where 39% are Republicans and 55% are Democrats, or independents."