Populism and new media's resonance: an analysis of the US presidential election

This study critically examines the structural marginalization of institutional discourse within algorithm-driven social media environments, with a particular focus on the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Through a comparative analysis of populist communication practices in the United States, Brazil, and India, the paper identifies three interrelated mechanisms contributing to the decline of institutional expressiveness: the misalignment between formal discourse structures and platform algorithms, the erosion of institutional agenda-setting capacity, and the absence of procedural authority over content visibility. Drawing upon discourse analysis and platform governance theory, the research conceptualizes this phenomenon as an emerging form of “expressive failure” under platform logics. The findings suggest that populist actors exploit the emotional and viral affordances of social media to displace rational, authoritative expressions traditionally upheld by public institutions. In response, the study proposes a policy framework that embeds communicative responsibilities into institutional governance, thereby reasserting institutional legitimacy within digitally mediated public spheres.