On 20 February, the MeDeMAP – Mapping Media for Future Democracies project joined forces with Checking the Fact-Checkers for a research seminar hosted at Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD). Titled “How to Protect Democracy” (Como Proteger a Democracia), the event brought together researchers, academics, and students to examine the role of media and fact-checking initiatives in safeguarding democratic systems. Discussions focused on how media structures, verification practices, and regulatory frameworks can either strengthen or undermine democratic resilience.
A key moment of the event was the presentation of MeDeMAP’s last research results by Tatyana Chervyakova, a member of the Lusófona University team. Her presentation outlined the project’s core findings, highlighting insights into media systems mapping, accountability mechanisms, and structural conditions that influence democratic performance across European contexts. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of how media ecosystems can be designed and supported to serve democratic societies better.
The collaboration with Checking the Fact-Checkers further enriched the debate, emphasising the importance of evaluating fact-checking initiatives themselves — including questions of transparency, methodological rigour, and public trust.
By fostering dialogue between ongoing research projects and the academic community, the seminar reinforced MeDeMAP’s commitment to producing evidence-based knowledge that supports future-oriented democratic governance.
