Multilingualism in Social Media: Identity, Power, and Globalization

Social media has fundamentally transformed communication, interaction, and identity formation in the
21st century. The rise of multilingual content on social media platforms has amplified debates surrounding
language, identity, power dynamics, and globalization. In diverse societies such as India, multilingualism
on social media enables individuals to express cultural affiliation, assert social identity, and participate in
global discourse while navigating power structures inherent in digital communication. This research paper
examines the intersections of multilingualism, identity, and power in social media, emphasizing the
implications of globalization and digital connectivity for linguistic diversity.
The study employs a multidisciplinary framework, integrating perspectives from sociolinguistics,
communication studies, media studies, cultural theory, and globalization studies. Using a mixed-method
approach, the research collects quantitative survey data from 1,200 social media users across urban and
semi-urban regions, qualitative interviews with 50 social media influencers, content creators, and platform
moderators, and secondary content analysis of multilingual posts across major platforms between 2018
and 2025. The study investigates how users navigate linguistic identities, the influence of power relations
in online communication, and the impact of global platforms on local and regional languages.
Key findings indicate that multilingual social media usage strengthens cultural identity, fosters linguistic
pride, and facilitates cross-cultural communication. Users strategically switch languages to negotiate
status, audience reach, and self-presentation. However, global platform dominance, algorithmic biases,
and linguistic hierarchies influence visibility, engagement, and influence, often privileging dominant
languages such as English over regional or minority languages. The study also identifies challenges in
linguistic inclusivity, digital literacy, and equitable representation, highlighting the tension between
globalization and local language preservation.