The Views of the Youth on the Potential for Dialogue by Means of Digital Media through Paulo Freire’s Perspective / Las visiones de los jóvenes sobre el potencial de los medios digitales para el diálogo desde la mirada de Paulo Freire

Abstract

This article seeks to analyse the perceptions of a group of young Brazilians digital media users, on the role of the Internet as a means to facilitating dialogue between them and their elected representatives in the political sphere, based on the presuppositions of Paulo Freire’s pedagogy. The methodology focused on the use of qualitative approaches which involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with thirteen young people from São Paulo and Bahia who participate in the online political participation program, U Report. The findings suggest that the Internet is seen as having a limited role in dialogic processes by those interviewed, who also demonstrate that they are aware of the national situation and the structuring mechanisms of digital media.