Politics on Twitch: A New Wave of Digital Engagement

Tuning into a live stream on Twitch, but instead of seeing your favorite gamer, you see a politician or a political pundit. Welcome to the world of Twitch politics! This platform, known for gaming and entertainment, is now being used by political figures to share their views and engage with audiences. But who are these political streamers? What do they talk about? And how do their viewers interact? To find out, researchers used the Twitch API and machine learning to identify 574 political streamers. They then analyzed the content of these streams, discovering seven main political topics and a unique way of communicating using special emoticons called "emotes. " Moreover, they found that a small group of users dominates the chat, highlighting a potential communication imbalance. This study sheds light on how new technologies are shaping political communication, especially among younger audiences.