Rumble has emerged as a notable player in the online video-sharing landscape. This analysis, drawing from an October 2022 Pew Research Center study, explores Rumble and six other alternative social media sites—BitChute, Gab, Gettr, Parler, Telegram, and Truth Social. The study employed a multi-method approach, focusing on sites with publicly accessible posts, mentions in news media, and at least 500,000 unique visitors in December 2021. So, What Is Rumble App and what makes it different? Let’s dive in.
The Pew Research Center’s work provides key insights into the platform’s reach, audience, and content.
Methodology Behind the Research
The Pew Research Center study utilized a combination of surveys, site audits, and content analysis to understand the alternative social media ecosystem. The survey, conducted between May 16-22, 2022, involved 10,188 U.S. adults who are members of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP). This panel recruits participants through national, random sampling of residential addresses, ensuring a representative sample of the U.S. adult population.
Respondents were asked about their familiarity with each of the seven social media sites. Those who had heard of the sites were further questioned about their usage, news consumption habits, and opinions.
The margin of sampling error for the full sample was plus or minus 1.6 percentage points. For the 587 alternative social media news consumers, it was plus or minus 7.0 percentage points, and for the 266 Rumble news consumers, it was plus or minus 9.8 percentage points.
Auditing the Platforms
An audit of alternative social media sites was initially conducted in April 2022. A team of researchers examined features of each site, such as privacy and moderation policies. These sites were reexamined in August-September 2022, with Rumble specifically rechecked in December 2022, to update findings with any changes. This thorough process ensures that the data is current and reflects the evolving nature of these platforms.
Content Analysis: Understanding the Discourse
The account content analysis scrutinized a sample of 200 prominent accounts on each of the seven sites, totaling 1,400 examined accounts. These prominent accounts were selected from the 5% with the highest number of followers on each site. Researchers analyzed these accounts to determine who runs them, their political orientation, values, and other characteristics.
Further content analysis examined the topics discussed and sources cited in 585,470 posts published in June 2022 by the 1,400 sampled accounts (only 1,147 of these accounts posted at least once that month). Researchers used specific keywords to identify posts about five distinct topics: abortion; guns, gun control and shootings; the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol; LGBTQ issues; and vaccines. Unique two- and three-word phrases were identified to pinpoint posts on each topic. The domains linked in these posts were then examined to identify the types of sources being used.
Key Findings and Insights
The research methodology provides a comprehensive understanding of Rumble and similar platforms. By combining surveys, site audits, and content analysis, the study offers a detailed perspective on the users, content, and policies that define these alternative social media spaces.
Here are the questions used in the study, detailed tables and the methodology.
This multifaceted approach enables a thorough examination of the role these platforms play in the broader news and information environment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Rumble is a video-sharing platform that differentiates itself within the alternative social media landscape. Understanding its methodology, content, and audience is crucial for anyone looking to navigate the evolving digital media environment. This analysis, based on Pew Research Center data, provides a solid foundation for further exploration and discussion.
