ABSTRACT
Memes are one of the hallmarks of online communication through social media. However, the study of the meanings and uses people give to this kind of content has yet to be consolidated. This chapter argues that memes have the potential to foster democratic attitudes and behaviors but also to promote aggression and deception. As with other forms of humor and satire, they are a consequential form of political communication that benefits or hinders democratic citizenship. In order to understand these possibilities in the field, we present a qualitative study based on focus groups that explores the reception, uses and meanings of memes during the 2018 Mexican presidential elections. The main findings indicate that these messages simultaneously have pro- and anti-democratic uses and meanings. They boost the consumption of quality information, start conversations about political issues and promote criticism of politicians and authorities. Nevertheless, they also foster cynicism and a sense of political inefficacy, as well as a superficial understanding of political affairs.
