CICANT hosted a full-day event dedicated to the discussion of media systems, disinformation, and the challenges facing contemporary democracies, bringing together researchers and invited speakers in a programme that combined project presentations, academic debate, and public reflection.
The day began with an opening session, held by Fábio Ribeiro, Orquídea Ribeiro, Cristina Saraiva, Felicidade Morais, and Ana Filipa Oliveira, followed by the presentation of results from two research projects. The MeDeMAP – Mapping Media for Future Democracies (HE 101094984) shared key findings on media landscapes and democratic resilience, highlighting policy-oriented recommendations to strengthen media systems across Europe. This was followed by the presentation of Checking the fact-checkers – aPEaSE (2023.12581.PEX), a project focused on examining fact-checking practices, verification cultures, and accountability mechanisms within increasingly platformised information environments.
The programme continued with the presentation of submitted papers in two sessions held in the late morning and mid-afternoon. These moments created space for academic exchange and discussion, allowing researchers to share ongoing work on topics such as political communication, journalism, digital media, and disinformation.
Later in the afternoon, Branco di Fátima (University of Beira Interior / LabCom) delivered the talk “Is my vote mine? Disinformation, uncertainty and elections in Portugal”. The presentation examined how disinformation dynamics shape electoral processes, reflecting on uncertainty, public trust, and the vulnerabilities of democratic participation in digital contexts.
The event concluded with the presentation of David Dinis's book, “How to Protect Democracy”, the Deputy Director of Expresso. Bridging academic research and journalistic practice, the session offered a critical reflection on the role of institutions, media, and civic engagement in safeguarding democratic systems.
By articulating research results, scholarly dialogue, and public debate within a single programme, the initiative reaffirmed CICANT’s commitment to producing and disseminating knowledge on media, disinformation, and democratic resilience in Portugal and in the broader European context. This initiative also marked a significant institutional milestone, as it was the first event held at Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) following the official launch of the collaboration between CICANT and UTAD, reinforcing the commitment to joint research, knowledge exchange, and regional engagement.