The Politics of Visibility on Social Media: Coordination and Agenda on the Spanish Far-right

In the contemporary digital landscape, far-right organizations have emerged as formidable players, rivaling left-wing digital parties and social movements in their online presence. This phenomenon underscores the transformative nature of the digital space, where visibility is paramount, particularly for far-right parties claiming to be themselves the 'voice of the people' (Maly, 2022). As Creech (2018) points out, visibility is intricately woven with strategic technological usage and media systems. The intersection of these elements highlights the increasing colonization of far-right parties in the digital ecosystem and their profound reliance on algorithmic power, shaping behaviors on social media (Maly, 2021). Our research seeks to contribute to the discourse on the decentralization/centralization dynamics within the digital environment. The literature has noted the intimate relationship between a centralized internal organization and the success of these parties in the diffusion of their message on social media. However, the symbiotic relationship between activists and political parties is pivotal in understanding issue promotion, aligning with the unpaid labor of activists. Previous research has pointed out that digital activists play a crucial role in 'radicalizing' issues, contributing to a discourse shift and centralizing the party's internal organization for message control. In this sense, the coordination function is essential. The coordination function precedes issue positioning, influencing both coordination strategies and internal organizational dynamics. In platforms governed by algorithmic ontologies, losing control over the message underscores the imperative to regulate unfolding activist dynamics. We examine the VOX party's centralized structure, marked by a lack of internal democracy, juxtaposed with its reliance on digital activists for message dissemination. Our study focuses on the Spanish far-right politics of visibility through the analysis of Twitter hashtags. The analysis relies on a database of tweets posted by Twitter accounts related to party members and sympathizers of the political party VOX between 2019-2023, covering the period in which this party emerged as a relevant actor in Spanish politics. Our goal is twofold. First, we analyze the rank and typology of issues emphasized by the VOX party. We are interested in understanding the mobilizing issues that are being exploited by this party and the particularities that distinguish it from conventional parties. That is especially relevant taking into account the rapid growth of this party. Second, we focus on explaining the coordination process behind the diffusion of party hashtags. We contend that the dynamics of visibility cannot be fully grasped without recognizing the pivotal role of coordination. There is no viralization without coordination. We particularly focus on two mechanisms in the diffusion of hashtags: the promotion of synchronous action coordinated via party instant messaging applications (i.e. Telegram) and the collaboration and participation of digital activists. Overall, the analysis offers valuable insights into the intricate interplay between far-right political parties, digital activism, and the evolving digital dynamics of the contemporary political landscape.