Sharing political news is less frequent in family, friends and work groups on WhatsApp. Furthermore, more than half of the people who participate in these environments say they are afraid of withholding an opinion.
The finding is part of the study The Vectors of Political Communication in Messaging Applicationsreleased this Monday (15).
The survey was carried out by the independent research center InternetLab and by Social Knowledge Networknon-profit institutions.
The research identified that more than half of the people who use WhatsApp are in family (54%) and friends (53%) groups. More than a third (38%) participate in working groups.
Only 6% are in policy debate groups. In a survey carried out in 2020, it was 10%.
When looking at the content of family, friends and work groups, the researchers found that, from 2021 to 2024, the frequency of messages about politics, politicians and government appearing fell.
In 2021, 34% of people said that the family group was where this type of news appeared most. In 2024, it was 27%.
In relation to groups of friends, the proportion fell from 38% to 24%. In work cases, from 16% to 11%.
The study presents testimonies from some of the interviewees, without identifying them.
“We avoid talking about politics. I think everyone has a sense of self-regulation there, and everyone tries to have common sense so as not to mix things up”, says a 50-year-old woman from São Paulo about the family group.
The information was collected in a online with 3,113 people aged 16 or over, from November 20th to December 10th, 2024. People from all regions of the country were interviewed.
I’m afraid to take a stand
The research identified that there is fear in sharing political opinions. Just over half (56%) of those interviewed said they were afraid to express an opinion on politics “because the environment is very aggressive”.
It was possible to map that this perception was felt by 63% of people who considered themselves on the left, 66% of those on the center and 61% of those on the right.
“I think the attacks today are more heated. So, sometimes you say something and it’s more complicated, people don’t want to debate, in fact, they want to get into a fight”, says a 36-year-old woman from Pernambuco.
The authors of the study state that behaviors were consolidated to avoid conflicts in groups. The data shows that 52% of those interviewed are increasingly policing themselves about what they say in groups, while 50% avoid talking about politics in the family group to avoid fights.
“People started self-regulating, and in groups where something was always discussed, today there is practically zero. People try, someone publishes something, but it is ignored”, describes one interviewee.
Around two-thirds (65%) say they avoid sharing messages that could attack other people’s values, according to the survey.
Of the respondents, 29% have already left groups where they did not feel comfortable expressing political opinions.
“I had to leave, it was too much, a lot of fighting, a lot of discussion, political propaganda, arguing,” says one interviewee.
Affirmation
But the survey also identifies that 12% of people share something considered important even if it may cause discomfort in a group.
Eighteen percent say that when they believe in an idea, they share it even if it may seem offensive.
“I set fire to the group. I like controversial topics, I like to talk, I like to add fuel to the fire and I am often removed”, says a 26-year-old woman from Minas Gerais.
Among the 44% who consider themselves safe to talk about politics on WhatsApp, the following strategies are adopted:
- 30% think that sending humorous messages is a good way to talk about politics without causing fights;
- 34% think it is better to talk about politics in private rather than in groups;
- 29% talk about politics only in groups with like-minded people.
“I like to discuss, but it’s on an individual basis. I don’t like to expose this to everyone”, reveals a 32-year-old interviewee from Espírito Santo.
“It’s as if people have already accepted that that group is more aligned with a specific political vision. Whoever wants to come in”, says a 47-year-old woman from Rio Grande do Norte.
The study was financially supported by WhatsApp. According to InternetLab, the company had no influence on the research.
Ripening
One of the study’s authors, the director of InternetLab, Heloisa Massaro, notes that WhatsApp is a tool “rooted” in people’s daily lives. In this way, just like in the world”offline“, that is, in person, the subject of politics is part of the interactions.
The study has been carried out annually since the end of 2020. According to Heloisa, over the years, people “have developed their own ethical standards to deal with this political communication on the application”, especially in groups.
“They police themselves more, they report a maturity in their use”, says the author. “Over time, we observe this group ethic in the relationships of messaging applications to talk about politics developing”, he adds.
