“Right-Wing Safe Space” Versus “Comrade Major”: Media Ideologies of Far-Right Russian Social Media Users

Petr Oskolkov, Eyal Lewin, Sabina Lissitsa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A significant part of far-right activities worldwide take place within the media ecosystem formed by accounts and communities on social media platforms. Drawing on the media ideology approach, this study investigates how far-right Russian internet users perceive various social media platforms and how their sociopolitical beliefs affect these perceptions. Based on a series of in-depth semi-structured interviews, we argue that far-right users assess social media platforms according to the criteria of security, meaning privacy and non-cooperation with law enforcement agencies; freedom from moderation; and functionality, including informational, communicational, recreational, and self-expressional roles. The results demonstrate that, for a sociopolitically stigmatized user cohort, media ideology becomes a tool for adaptation and survival, stressing the factors of privacy protection and ideological proximity.

Original languageEnglish
JournalSocial Media and Society
Volume10
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2024

Keywords

  • far-right
  • media ideology
  • nationalism
  • Russia
  • social media
  • Telegram
  • Vkontakte

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