LGBTI+ and PRIDE Festival in the Information Space

Three and a half years after parliamentary elections and 10 months following a tragic terrorist attack on Zámocká Street, the rights of LGBTI+ people continue to be a focal point of a political struggle that numerous politicians exploit to polarize society in Slovakia. During the critical phase leading to early elections in September 2023, it is significant to consider not just how political figures communicate topics regarding LGBTI+ people, but also the narrative embraced by civil society and the media. This is crucial because voting behavior is molded not solely by political campaigning and the topics endorsed by the political parties and their representatives, but also by the information that circulates within the information bubbles in which voters engage daily and from which they derive their information. The popularity and framing of the topic are significant in this respect.

The objective of this monitoring is to illustrate how the conversation about LGBTI+ people transforms when we eliminate the statements and contributions from political figures and, instead, concentrate on the narratives presented by prodemocratic actors, media outlets, and problematic sources. The findings emphasize that the information landscape concerning LGBTI+ rights is primarily shaped by prodemocratic actors, spearheaded by NGOs and mainstream media, rather than problematic sources, which received notably lower reach in terms of interactions.

This case study observes 117 of posts concerning LGBTI+ people and related themes, which amassed minimum 500 interactions during the period from June 1st to August 1st, 2023. The analysis is being carried out using Gerulata Technologies’ monitoring tool on social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, and YouTube, all in the Slovak language. This time frame aligns with the period when the discourse surrounding LGBTI+ people’s rights gained more prominent attention corresponding to the organization and the reactions to the Dúhový PRIDE v Bratislave (Rainbow PRIDE in Bratislava) that occurred on July 22nd, 2023.

Read the full analysis below.