In recent years, one of the most pronounced trends in politics in Latin America, and even in the United States, is the deep polarization of opinions, emotions, and ideas. In some countries, this political polarization is so extreme that it borders on irrational hatred and even divides families. No longer are development projects or initiatives to solve problems from a public perspective discussed; instead, those who think differently are irrationally disqualified and hated. What is the origin of this?
Traditionally, public opinion was formed through a combination of “word of mouth” communication among people and information transmitted through traditional media such as television, radio, and newspapers. That is its origin. It was a process in which not everyone participated, only the minority with access to information and a platform to voice their opinions in the media. Essentially, public opinion was shaped by the wealthier urban classes and then spread to the less educated masses in the country’s interior. In this context, traditional media and political leaders had immense power to influence people, who were generally poorly informed about public affairs.
Now, things are different. Three global changes have disrupted the rules of the game regarding the formation of a public opinion and have led to increasing political polarization. The first change is the rise of social media. Even the poorest citizens now get their information through one or several social media platforms. In Honduras, one of the poorest countries on the continent, over 80% of people get their news through Facebook or WhatsApp. The most politically engaged and news-hungry now turn to X (formerly Twitter), while young people use Instagram and TikTok. The immediacy of social media has now made it the main source of news. At first glance, this appears positive, as more people can stay informed about what is happening in their community and the world.
A second transformation in public opinion has been driven by the algorithm used by all social media platforms (except WhatsApp). This algorithm filters information for the user, showing only content that aligns with their previous opinions, reinforcing their views without considering new ideas or arguments. By doing so, people quickly develop polarized opinions that prevent debate. Eventually, what is known in English as confirmation bias occurs—meaning that individuals have their beliefs validated by everything they see on social media. In summary, this leads people to form extreme views.
The third factor—and the most harmful—that has polarized public opinion globally is the uncontrolled growth of fake news. News is no longer exclusively generated by established news outlets; anyone can post something that becomes news. People frequently post fake news deliberately, and in most cases, news consumers believe almost everything they read or see on their social media feeds. This is particularly true in politics, further fueling hatred toward certain ideologies, parties, or political leaders.
In summary, the dangerous political polarization we are experiencing in many countries has its roots mainly in these three factors: the rise of social media as the primary source of information for people, the algorithms used by social media platforms, and the unstoppable growth of fake news in the political realm. Many speak of a post-truth era, the relativity of everything, etc., but the reality is that the debate of ideas has died in political contests, giving way to extreme emotion and visceral hatred. In this new context, it is not unusual to encounter authoritarianism, coups, baseless accusations, electoral fraud, and political violence. It is the total denaturalization of politics, as politics itself should be the respectful discussion of ideas. Ultimately, this extreme political polarization could lead to the end of democracy.
Autor
Politólogo y investigador en opinión pública. Fundador, presidente y CEO de Le Vote International y Le Vote Honduras.
