With the rise of digital technologies and social media, public opinion monitoring has undergone a revolution. Social media has become a key platform for the formation and dissemination of opinions . Today, politicians and citizens are more connected than ever, enabling direct and instant communication.
Just to give you an idea of the participation of parliamentarians in the digital environment, a survey carried out in 2023 by the Institute for Research in Reputation and Image (IPRI) revealed that 82% of guatemala mobile database congressmen use the internet as their main source of information , taking into account applications such as Instagram and WhatsApp. This means that the debates and discussions that take place on these platforms can directly influence political decisions.
People with their hands raised during a protest
Social mobilization and engagement
However, data from the “Democracia em Xeque” Institute shows that the amount of information available is not synonymous with quality or reach in the digital environment. For example, José Guimarães (PT-CE) was the parliamentarian who posted the most on Instagram in April 2024, with 202 posts, but had only 36,537 interactions. In contrast, Capitão Alden (PL-BA), with 172 posts, reached 203,302 interactions.
Furthermore, members of Congress aligned with former President Jair Bolsonaro are the ones who engage the most on Instagram. Carla Zambelli (PL-SP), with 115 posts, received 2,398,810 interactions. Bia Kicis (PL-DF) and Paulo Bilynskyj (PL-SP) are also among the most influential, with more than 2 million interactions each. These numbers reflect the ability of these members of Congress to mobilize followers and influence public opinion in the digital environment.
This scenario needs to be carefully analyzed by the RIG professional, since public opinion and their interaction with parliamentarians on digital platforms directly influence their performance. This occurs, basically, for two reasons.
Firstly, because these platforms have changed the way communication takes place between the State, public officials and the general public. Through them, the State and politicians have become permeable to public opinion and, at the same time, have made communication between organizations and the public more direct.