Debate at ULusófona highlights the risks of disinformation

On 26 November, the conference “Power to the Fake? The Media and the Rise of Populism in Portugal” took place, organised as part of the PhD in Communication and Activisms. The event aimed to promote critical reflection on the effects of disinformation in the public sphere and its relationship with the rise of populist discourse in Portugal, bringing together researchers, journalists, and political figures in an interdisciplinary debate space.

Professor João Pedro Baptista opened the discussion with an analysis of the phenomenon of fake news and online disinformation, highlighting the role of algorithms in amplifying content that generates stronger emotional reactions, explaining that we live in a new digital ecosystem where attention is contested in increasingly shorter cycles. This was followed by Professor Branco Di Fátima’s intervention, which addressed the social dimension of disinformation and the behavioural patterns observed on social media during the 2025 legislative elections, underlining how hate speech and digital hostility dynamics interact with the circulation of manipulated content.

The Executive Director of Polígrafo, Salomé Leal, brought a practical perspective on fact-checking to the debate, stating that “disinformation is a business” and that the media face difficulties competing with false content that quickly goes viral, also questioning the effectiveness of counter-strategies. Former MEP Isabel Santos reflected on the impacts of disinformation on political action and democratic life, noting that conspiracy theories often have more appeal than rigorous information and warning of the transnational dimension of the phenomenon, which cannot be stopped by a single country.

The conference, organised by second-year students with the support of the PhD Programme Board, consisting of lecturers Carla Cerqueira and Célia Taborda, aimed to bring together different areas of knowledge, combining academic research, journalistic practice, and political experience.

The expected impact included consolidating interdisciplinary knowledge and stimulating new research, as well as raising social awareness of the risks associated with the circulation of manipulated information. 

The final message was clear – disinformation constitutes a structural challenge to the quality of democracy, and only through cooperation between academia, the media, and the political sphere will it be possible to build effective and sustainable responses to phenomena that shape public opinion and affect the functioning of democratic institutions.

See the Event Photos on the ULusófona Facebook Page

Text
Bruna Pereira

Photography
Bruna Pereira

Editing
Lara Sousa