Aporofobia y juventud : estudio de narrativas aporofóbicas en cuentas de Tik Tok e Instagram de jóvenes lojanos.

Abstract

This study analyzes aporophobic narratives on the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram among young people in the city of Loja during the year 2025, with the aim of understanding their impact on the perception and stigmatization of poverty. Using a mixed methods approach, structur ed surveys were administered to 109 young people aged 18 to 25, supplemented by a qualitative analysis using netnography of digital content. The results show that social media, in addition to being spaces for interaction and identity construction, function as platforms where discriminatory discourses, stereotypes, and exclusionary practices toward people living in poverty are reproduced. These narratives, influenced by social, cultural, and technological factors, tend to normalize aporophobia, affecting emp athy, social cohesion, and young people’s perceptions of inequality. Furthermore, the study identifies that a lack of critical thinking regarding digital content facilitates the internalization of prejudices. The research highlights the need to promote an ethical, critical, and inclusive digital citizenship that contributes to social awareness and the reduction of discriminatory discourse in virtual environments.