In light of the censorship before and after the presidential elections on July 28, five media outlets in the west of the country asked Venezuelans if their internet consumption habits have changed due to fear
Text: Marisabel Diaz / The truth
Following the presidential elections on July 28, numerous government measures have promoted information censorship. The still-blocked social network X (formerly Twitter) and the restriction of the websites of highly recognized media outlets in the country are examples of this. Despite this, the majority of users in the West say that their consumption of content on the Internet has not changed.
The results of a survey conducted by the newspaper The truth (Zulia), The Morning (Falcon), The Impulse (Lara), The Nation (Táchira) and Yaracuy Today (Yaracuy) between August 22 and 25 revealed that fear has not been a determining factor for Venezuelans to change their consumption habits on the Internet, such as the content they publish, what they comment on and what they share.
The survey asked just one question: Have you changed your internet content consumption habits due to fear of censorship? and offered Internet users a simple choice between yes or no. The percentages varied between regions, but the majority of citizens agreed on one choice.
Survey results
Those surveyed by the newspaper The truthIn Zulia, 212 Venezuelans responded through a Google Forms form distributed on Instagram, Facebook, X, WhatsApp and Telegram.
Of the total number of participants, 123 (58%) indicated that they have not altered their internet consumption due to fear of censorship, while 89 people (42%) said they have.
In Falcon, The Morning He made his survey via Instagram. This was the only region in which the majority of citizens (75%) voted because the fear of “repression” has affected their consumption on social networks and digital media, and only 25% of Falconians maintain their habits.
In the case of Lara state, 55% of those surveyed by The Impulsethrough X, considers that their consumption remains the same, while 45% say it is no longer the same.
*Read also: Venezuelans take steps to protect their privacy in the face of censorship and digital blockades
When the same question was asked via Telegram, the percentages were the same. 59% indicated that their internet habits had not changed, while 41% felt the opposite.
In Táchira, The Nation A total of 68 Venezuelans were surveyed via WhatsApp, of which 49 (72.05%) indicated that their consumption has not changed due to fear and 19 Larenses (27.94%) stated that it has.
Yaracuy Today The survey was conducted via Instagram. Of the 450 participants, 266 (59%) said they have not changed their internet consumption for fear of government consequences, while 184 (41%) said they have.
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