Cultural echoes in digital spaces: a comparative study of diasporic engagement on social media

Purpose Digital platforms have transformed how diasporic communities interact, enabling cultural connectivity, identity preservation and socio-political participation. This study examines the role of social media in shaping digital diasporas through a comparative analysis of four cases: the Indian diaspora in the USA, the Somali diaspora in the UK, the Filipino diaspora in the Middle East and the Chinese diaspora in Australia. This study aims to understand how digital engagement operates across diverse migration conditions and geopolitical contexts rather than assuming demographic equivalence. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a qualitative research design based on thematic analysis of publicly available social media interactions. Case selection captures variation in population scale, digital engagement and migration histories, with population size serving as an empirical baseline rather than a comparative determinant. Data were drawn from globally dominant platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and WeChat – focusing on cultural, political and economic forms of digital participation shaped by host-country environments and transnational practices. Findings The analysis identifies recurring patterns of cultural preservation, community support, political engagement and economic participation across the four diasporas. Social media facilitates cultural continuity and collective belonging while also enabling advocacy and transnational networking. At the same time, challenges such as algorithmic bias, misinformation and digital exclusion complicate diasporic interactions, highlighting the uneven visibility and influence of different migrant communities within digital spaces. Originality/value This study advances the concept of digital diasporic engagement by foregrounding migration condition as a key analytical variable in comparative analysis. By examining both stable and precarious migration contexts, it demonstrates how similar digital practices produce different outcomes depending on structural constraint and vulnerability. The findings offer original insights for diaspora studies and provide policy-relevant implications for inclusive digital governance and digital literacy initiatives.