MeLCi Lab and YouNDigital Researchers Participate in the VII Congress on Media Literacy and Citizenship

Several researchers from the MeLCi Lab and YouNDigital – Jovens, Notícias e Cidadania project presented their work at the VII Congresso de Literacia, Media e Cidadania, held on 27–28 November 2025 at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra. Dedicated to the theme “Comportamentos, Narrativas e Direitos Humanos,” the congress — an initiative of the Informal Group on Media Literacy (GILM) — brought together academics, media professionals, policymakers, and civil society to debate the role of media literacy in contemporary society.

On 27 November, in a session moderated by Inês Amaral, researchers Teresa Sofia Castro, Margarida Maneta, and Maria José Brites (YouNDigital, MeLCi Lab, CICANT, Lusófona University) discussed how young people construct their understanding of the world within algorithmically personalised environments, presenting “Os jovens e a sua visão do mundo: Como o constroem em ambientes de personalização algorítmica?”. In the same panel, Ana F. Oliveira (YouNDigital, MeLCi Lab, CICANT, Lusófona University) presented, as a co-author, “Co-criando a Cidadania,” which examined the role of community networks, cooperation, and intergenerational value transmission in civic engagement.

On the following day, 28 November, Maria José Brites (YouNDigital, MeLCi Lab, CICANT, Lusófona University) participated in the plenary session “Narrativas mediáticas ou discursos (des)informados,” alongside Annemieke Akkermans (Lie Detectors), Charles Bradley (Google), Nikki Soo (TikTok) and Telmo Gonçalves (ERC). Moderated by Vítor Tomé (UAL/ISCTE), consultant to the YouNDigital project, the session explored shifts in media narratives as new actors and formats increasingly blur the lines between fact and opinion, with significant implications for public trust.

The second day also featured a presentation by Carla Sousa (CICANT, Lusófona University), co-author of a systematic literature review on gamification in media education and its implications for platform design. Additionally, Margarida Maneta and Maria José Brites discussed digital literacy among older adults in “[Smartphone?] É como ter um Ferrari, mas não ter carta de condução,” highlighting both the challenges and opportunities for individuals over 60.

To close the event, researcher Vanessa Rodrigues (YouNDigital, MeLCi Lab, CICANT, Lusófona University) joined a plenary session on Media, Journalism and Human Rights, featuring Bojan Georgievski (Inclusive and Creative Media Education), Matia Losego (Amnesty International Portugal), Matteo Bergamini (Shout Out UK), and journalist Tiago Carrasco. The panel underscored the importance of fostering discourse grounded in universal values, such as peace and human dignity, in an increasingly fragmented public sphere.