Vasconcellos-Silva Paulo Roberto, Castiel Luis David
Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz). Av. Brasil 4.365, Manguinhos. 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil.
Escola de Medicina e Cirurgia, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil.
Cien Saude Colet. 2025 Apr;30(4):e10492023. doi: 10.1590/1413-81232025304.10492023. Epub 2024 Feb 17.
Illusion and truth acquire indistinct faces in the virtual environment: xenophobia, misogyny and homophobia - among other systematic failures of discernment due to anger - are recurrent vices in the mass traffic of social networks. We witness physical and virtual "Justices" by people who appear and disappear due to intense and temporary hatred. This review-essay articulates theories in three segments: Genealogies in the psychic constitution: idea of threat to the "natural order", uncertainties and misinformation generating meanings, exploitation of resentments to alleviate impotence. Mediations: "echo chambers", "bubble filters" and adherence algorithms to bring together the resentful and disoriented. Political and health developments: ethics indifferent to deception, fanning intolerance with profits, publicizing insults, controversies and rejection of engagement, niches of political power and consequences for democracies and global health security. As conclusions, new and monumental challenges stand out in an increasingly hostile and incomprehensible mediosphere, as well as the urgent need for environments permeated by full communication.