Two European research projects involving CICANT researchers have joined forces to examine how media can protect democratic institutions amid disinformation and rapid digital transformation.
The seminar "How to Protect Democracy? Fact-checking, Accountability and Participation" will bring together researchers from MeDeMAP - Mapping media for future democracies (HE 101094984) and Checking the fact-checkers – aPEaSE (2023.12581.PEX) at Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro.
Funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology and the European Union, the two projects examine complementary aspects of the media's function in building and preserving democratic systems. Whilst the media play a crucial role in informing citizens and promoting public debate, the pressure, speed and 'platformisation' of communication threaten democracy and its main institutions, which value truth and transparency.
The day-long programme will feature presentations of key findings from both research projects, with Tatiana Chervyakova presenting MEDEMAP results and João Pedro Baptista and Francisco Conrado discussing aPEaSE findings. Sessions will explore under what conditions and for which audiences media, including fact-checking initiatives, perform democratic functions, and what implications these processes hold for democratic quality.
After two sessions of presentations of papers and work in progress, there will be a keynote speech by Branco di Fatima from Universidade da Beira Interior, titled "Is My Vote My Own?" and delving into disinformation and elections in Portugal. Disinformation, Uncertainty and Elections in Portugal". The seminar will conclude with the presentation of David Dinis's (Expresso) book "Como proteger a democracia" (How to Protect Democracy).
Registration is free and is open here.
The full program is available here (in Portuguese).
The event will also be live-streamed for remote participants through UTAD TV's YouTube channel here.
More information about the event is available here.
The event will be conducted in Portuguese.
PROGRAM
[10:00 a.m.] Opening session
[10:30 a.m.] Presentation of project results (Session in English)
MeDeMAP - Mapping media for future democracies (HE 101094984)
Checking the fact-checkers – aPEaSE (2023.12581.PEX)
[11:45 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.] Presentation of submitted papers
[3:15 p.m.] Is my vote mine? Disinformation, uncertainty and elections in Portugal
Branco di Fatima (University of Beira Interior / Labcom)
[16:15] Presentation of the book “How to protect democracy”
David Dinis (Deputy Director, Expresso)