Relationship of young people with digital media in the Venezuelan context at two moments: confinement due to Covid-19 and beginning of easing of restrictions

Abstract

The rapid spread of Covid-19 brought with it important changes in the way we interact with the world. One of the most notable was the significant relationship we have with digital culture and, within it, with digital media. Virtual spaces became transcendental allies for citizens in times of pandemic and mandatory confinement. In the case of young people, this was intensified, fundamentally, because they dedicated a significant amount of time to the use of digital media, to comply with their school dynamics. With this work we propose to investigate the relationship of a group of young Venezuelans from different socioeconomic strata with digital media, in the context of confinement-flexibilization due to Covid-19. To this end, the data obtained in two qualitative studies carried out by the Institute for Communication Research (ININCO) were compared, one of them in collaboration with the Community Learning Centers (CECODAP) in 2020 and another, sponsored by the Centro Gumilla Foundation, in 2022. Through the comparison of both studies, it was detected, firstly, that the relationship that young people have with digital media is defined by their socioeconomic level, secondly, that the excessive interaction of young people with digital media -in most cases to access their online classes- resulted in their desire to spend less time connected and, thirdly, that such wear and tear is due to the incorrect use of said media, which shows the need to promote Media, Information and Digital Literacy, since digital media are essential in the lives of citizens, not only as means of entertainment, but as spaces where they interact and create meaning.