Social networking sites have had a significant impact on politics and democracy. They can bring about positive changes that contribute to establishing a more effective and complete democracy. In this study, we investigate the relationship between social networks and democratic effectiveness in Latin American countries. We conducted a quantitative and inferential statistical analysis using representative surveys from2023 to demonstrate that the internet and social networks have a notable impact on the democratization process of these countries. Our study challenges the hypothesis proposed by Lipset that a nation’s economic prosperity contributes to strengthening democracy.

Social networking sites have had a significant impact on politics and democracy. They can bring about positive changes that contribute to establishing a more effective and complete democracy. In this study, we investigate the relationship between social networks and democratic effectiveness in Latin American countries. We conducted a quantitative and inferential statistical analysis using representative surveys from2023 to demonstrate that the internet and social networks have a notable impact on the democratization process of these countries. Our study challenges the hypothesis proposed by Lipset that a nation’s economic prosperity contributes to strengthening democracy.

The purpose of this article is to present an exploratory study of research trends on the phenomenon of affective polarization, political polarization, media, and digital platforms for a period of 6 years (2019-2024). A review of the literature, including a non-representative sample of 41 academic articles systematically searched on Google Scholar, is conducted to understand current research from the perspective of digital political communication. This review provides an overview of existing cases and future challenges in research on affective polarisation, political polarisation, media, and digital platforms.