Within Their Own Spaces - Platform Dynamics on Far-Right and Misogynist Social Media

Reactionary social media, set up by members of a reactionary movement, carry distinct traits that make them into unique social spaces for their respective groups. In this paper I argue that three key factors contribute to these reactionary online spaces functioning as (imitated) counterpublics for their movements. First, these platforms are explicitly political projects, designed to attract a politically engaged user base. Second, they offer a specific set of affordances—such as minimal content moderation, anonymity, and features that promote connectivity—that cater to the needs of this politically motivated audience and encourage community building. Finally, users actively engage with these affordances, cultivating a political culture and vernacular that reinforces their sense of countercultural identity. I employ a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative content analysis with the walk-through-method to investigate the interactions between platform owners, moderators, and user bases, focusing on Gab Social and the incels.is forum as case studies within the Alt-Tech and the Manosphere. This analysis highlights the unique nature of these online spaces. It can also inform research into the evolving social media landscape, particularly as mainstream platforms increasingly adopt alt-Tech characteristics.