Formation of emigration attitudes of Russian youth in social media

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify the specifics of emigration information flows in Russian social media, dynamics, internal structure, and impact on the political consciousness of young people. Given the growing importance of the digital environment for social and political processes, it is becoming increasingly important to study how social media serve as channels for disseminating emigration discourses, constructing the collective identity of emigrants, and broadcasting emigration discourses online, directly influencing young audiences. The research methodology is based on the principles of social media predictive analytics. The study utilized cognitive mapping of thematic content to select emigration content markers, social media analysis of thematic information flows, and subsequent statistical and content analysis of the collected database. The sample included publications from January 2024 to June 2025, related to the formation of emigration attitudes among young people under 35. The total collection comprised over 250 000 unique materials, allowing us to identify three key segments of the flow: publications that foster a general attitude toward emigration; materials providing information about emigration channels and forms; and content related to specific geographic destinations. The study's key findings demonstrate that emigration discourse on social media is structured but relatively limited. The most prominent segment is politicized and polarized content, created largely by external online actors and affiliated structures. Meanwhile, utilitarian materials focus on practical issues of emigration and are the most active in terms of users' plans and intentions to emigrate. Information surges are closely linked to government decisions, legislative innovations, and, in particular, restrictions in the field of digital communications. The age group most receptive to such discourses is «older» youth (aged 26 to 35). Emigrant communities online form stable echo chambers and their own digital identities, reinforcing the transnational nature of emigrants' online space. The obtained results allow us to consider emigration flows in the network as a significant factor in the political process and a challenge for state, public and educational institutions, requiring further research.