The Dynamics of Islamic Moderate Thought in the Digital Age: An Analysis of Religious Content Framing on Instagram and TikTok

Social media has changed religious discourse by creating new public spaces where interpretations of Islam are debated. In this context, the concept of wasathiyah (Islamic moderation) has become crucial, but its articulation on algorithm-based visual platforms such as Instagram and TikTok has rarely been studied. This study aims to compare the framing of wasathiyah by popular religious content creators on both platforms and examine the influence of technological affordances on the construction of moderation. Using a comparative qualitative design with Robert Entman's framing analysis, the study examined 10 Indonesian influencers selected purposively. Posting data was collected over six months and consisted of videos, images, captions, and highly engaging comments, which were then analyzed to identify framing elements. The results show significant differences: on Instagram, wasathiyah is framed as text-based intellectual moderation through long lectures and classical references; while on TikTok, wasathiyah appears as fast-responding contextual moderation, with short, reactive content that utilizes viral trends to counter extremism and foster tolerance. Instagram's carousel feature supports multipoint arguments, while TikTok's duet/stitch feature encourages participatory interaction. This study confirms that Islamic wasathiyah is dynamically constructed through creator-platform interactions. These findings expand the study of digital religion by showing how the technical logic of platforms shapes the meaning of religious moderation and offers practical insights for educators, policymakers, and religious leaders in designing more effective religious moderation communication strategies.