Polarización afectiva y desinformación digital: retos estratégicos para la democracia y los partidos en América Latina

Abstract

In order to evaluate its effects on democracy and the function of political parties, the study aimed to investigate the relationship between digital disinformation and affective polarization in Latin America. With an emphasis on young college students and social actors in online communities, the study used a purposive sample of Latin American people and was founded on an exploratory, comparative, mixed, descriptive, and analytical design. Political speech analysis, structured questionnaires, and psychophysiological tests were among the methods used to collect data between 2022 and 2023. Using qualitative thematic coding and descriptive statistical techniques, the study's variables—affective polarization, digital disinformation, political emotions, party trust, and societal fragmentation— were examined. The primary conclusions showed that affective polarization, which heightens social animosity and unfavorable opinions about opponents, is made worse by digital deception. This problem causes political parties to lose their ability to be represented, undermines the public realm, and impedes democratic discourse. The study also revealed a threat to national security and a direct effect on people's political identities, which is consistent with the literature on the Venezuelan situation. Disinformation and affective polarization work together to impair public discourse, diminish the legitimacy of democratic institutions in the area, and destroy parties' ability to be represented. It illustrates that the issue is not just polarization but also how modern technologies are amplifying it.