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Public opinion, or popular opinion, is the collective opinion on a specific topic or voting intention relevant to society. It is the people's views on matters affecting them. The term originates from France, and first appeared in the 17th century, though writers had identified the importance of the opinion of the people long before this. Prior to the advent of mass media, public fora such as coffee houses and gentlemen's clubs were used as exchanges of opinion and some reputable locations had great influence.
The Institut français d'opinion publique (IFOP; French Institute of Public Opinion) is an international polling and market research firm, whose motto is "Connection creates value". It was founded on 1 December 1938 by Jean Stoetzel, former Sorbonne professor, after he met George Gallup in the United States. Its CEO was Laurence Parisot from 1990 until 2016, who was nicknamed "boss of the bosses", when she was the leader of the Mouvement des Entreprises de France, the French employers' trade union.