It seems that Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter is moving ahead. As next Friday’s deadline approaches, there has been much speculation about how Musk’s prioritization of free speech, along with the potential to reinstate banned accounts such as those belonging to former President Donald Trump and Alex Jones, will change the landscape of Twitter and social media.

A recent study from the Pew Research Center speaks to the growing use of alternative social media sites, including Parler, Rumble, Gettr, Telegram, and Truth Social. Approximately 1 in 7 prominent accounts on alternative social media has previously been banned or demonetized by mainstream sites for alleged hate speech or misinformation. Roughly two-thirds of alternate social media site users identify as Republican. Alternative social media users care about the protection of free speech, patriotism, and pro-America values.