Mainstream Platforms - these are very popular platforms that may have a dissident presence, but are mostly used by people with other political views

• YouTube - almost everyone uses this

• Facebook - largely boomer-tier conservatives, but still used widely to organize neighborhoods and events

• Twitter - used both by boomer-tier conservatives and some right-leaning intellectuals

• Reddit - on the way out, but some still use it in niche subreddits

• Other apps (e.g. TikTok, Twitch, Instagram, Snapchat, iFunny) - I don't know how to describe these since I don't use them

Public Dissident Platforms - these are platforms that are used mostly or entirely by dissidents, and are publicly viewable

• 4chan - 4chan is right on the edge of being a mainstream platform versus a dissident platform, but the political boards are almost entirely right-leaning

• Other large imageboards

• Gab

• Parler - I don't know anyone who seriously uses this

• Reddit alternatives like Saidit, Ruqqus, or Communities.win

• Other alt-tech sites like Minds, BitChute, etc

Private Dissident Platforms - these are channels that are used entirely by dissidents and have private membership

• Discord servers - Discord is notorious for censorship and surveillance, but many still use it due to convenience

• Telegram channels - not totally secure (closed-source), but probably better than Discord and very popular

• Other private apps (e.g. Element, IRCs)

• Private messages over other platforms

• E-mail

---

Each of these platforms, and the different types of platforms, have their own unique uses.

Mainstream platforms are useful for gathering and communicating, as well as for reaching the masses. However, they can be subject to corporate censorship.

Public dissident platforms allow dissidents to communicate openly with other people who already share their views, and are more censorship-resistant than mainstream platforms.

Private dissident platforms are exclusive, with conversation only between pre-selected members. As such, they are best for high-quality organizing and collaborating on creative projects. If set up correctly, they can also be far more secure and censorship-resistant than other platforms.

I think that private platforms are the most effective if used correctly; if they are moderated poorly, however, they can devolve into petty drama or pointless chatter.

Public dissident platforms have potential, but I don't think they've quite shown it yet, aside from providing people with a safe haven from censorship.

Mainstream platforms have been the most useful for reaching new people and bringing dissidents together. This goes double if you consider 4chan a mainstream platform. The only problem is the continuous censorship that threatens to disrupt communication on these platforms.

If there's interest in this topic, I might make a post about how these platforms can work together in a greater ecosystem. I also plan to write a post on the usefulness of active moderation as opposed to being laissez-faire with uploaded content.