Title: Echo Chambers and Information Brokers on Truth Social: A Study of Network Dynamics and Political Discourse Show Chinese title

Title: 真相社交上的回音室和信息中介：网络动态与政治话语的研究

Abstract: This study examines the structural dynamics of Truth Social, a politically aligned social media platform, during two major political events: the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade and the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago. Using a large-scale dataset of user interactions based on re-truths (platform-native reposts), we analyze how the network evolves in relation to fragmentation, polarization, and user influence. Our findings reveal a segmented and ideologically homogenous structure dominated by a small number of central figures. Political events prompt temporary consolidation around shared narratives, followed by rapid returns to fragmented, echo-chambered clusters. Centrality metrics highlight the disproportionate role of key influencers, particularly @realDonaldTrump, in shaping visibility and directing discourse. These results contribute to research on alternative platforms, political communication, and online network behavior, demonstrating how infrastructure and community dynamics together reinforce ideological boundaries and limit cross-cutting engagement. Show Chinese abstract

Abstract: 本研究考察了Truth Social这一政治立场一致的社交媒体平台在两次重大政治事件中的结构动态：美国最高法院推翻Roe v. Wade案以及联邦调查局对玛拉-拉戈的搜查。通过基于重新真实（平台原生转发）的用户互动大规模数据集，我们分析了网络如何与碎片化、极化和用户影响力相关联。我们的研究结果揭示了一个由少数中心人物主导的分段且意识形态同质化的结构。政治事件促使围绕共同叙述暂时整合，随后迅速回归碎片化、回音室式的集群。中心性度量突显了关键影响者，尤其是@realDonaldTrump在塑造可见性和引导话语中的不成比例作用。这些结果有助于替代平台、政治传播和在线网络行为的研究，展示了基础设施和社区动态如何共同强化意识形态边界并限制跨领域参与。