Author: Filipe Pardal, Chief Operating Officer of the Portuguese fact-checker “Polígrafo” & Governance Body Member of the European Fact-checking Standards Network
Reviewer: Inês Narciso, Researcher, ISCTE-IUL
Introduction
- Disinformation, increasingly dissevered and complex, is finally finding ways in Portugal, with narratives targeting individuals, especially institutions or vulnerable social groups within democratic processes. The most salient part of this disinformation phenomenon is seen through the sudden spike of false content across social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, as well as on Facebook. Cases such as false claims about immigrants receiving more attention than matters about Portuguese pensioners or even conspiracy theories and manipulated data on corruption. That illustrates how disinformation exploits public anxieties and reinforces polarizing narratives.
- A particularly emblematic case emerged in early 2024, when it was detected signs of foreign interference through paid YouTube ads targeting major political parties (PS and PSD) just before the European elections. This was the first confirmed instance of its kind in Portugal, highlighting the evolving nature of disinformation tactics and the urgent need for robust countermeasures.
- The misuse of traditional media branding to spread disinformation has become an emerging trend, with political figures and groups using the familiar visual styles of established outlets to lend credibility to misleading claims. This tactic aims to exploit the public’s trust in trusted media brands, blurring the lines between legitimate information and false narratives. Such practices highlight the growing challenges in protecting media integrity and combating the spread of disinformation.
- Portugal lacks a centralized strategy or legal framework to combat disinformation, relying instead on European regulations and isolated government initiatives without a national authority or coordinated response mechanism.
- Fact-checking is led by a few key players like Polígrafo and Viral Check. Alongside generalist media like Observador and Público that also have fact-checking sections.
- Portugal faces a growing but relatively moderate threat of disinformation, with traditional media still being the dominant source of news, though social media is increasingly influential, especially among younger audiences.
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