Portugal is among the countries where the population most values democracy and freedom of expression online, according to the study “Democracy in the Age of AI”carried out by Kantar for the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications. 84% of Portuguese respondents consider it “very” or “extremely important” to live in democracy, one of the highest percentages in Europe, according to the statement released this Tuesday (9) by the telecommunications company.
The report paints a picture of the challenges, andexpectations and concerns of citizens regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ndemocratic societies.
Com more than 12 thousand participants in 12 European countriesthe study reveals that Portugal with highlights em several areas. The Portuguese are those who most defend freedom of expression on the internet (64%), a higher figure has average European (52%). The majority withconsiders that digital dialogue is essential to strengthen the democratsa.
Iberians believe in the role of the media in combating disinformation
The countries of the Iberian Peninsula appear aligned in the perception that traditional media play a fundamental role in combating disinformation. This confidence chimes with the concern around AI-generated political content. According to the study, in Portugal 63% of respondents say that the importance of editorial journalism has increased due to the threat of disinformation, a figure well above the European average (53%). Television and radio continue to be the main means used to verify the veracity of political content.
Around half of those surveyed believe that fake news that they find online aim to weaken political opponents and influence the outcome of elections. 28% of Portuguese people say they have frequently encountered fake news in recent months, a figure close to the European average of 27%.
Despite concerns, the Portuguese maintain a vision relatively positive technology: 38% consider that the benefits of AI outweighs the negative aspects. Still, at European level39% stare Easttechnological evolution as a threat to democracy and 32% believes that os risks surpass the positive points.
According to the study, there is strong support for measures that regulate Artificial Intelligence, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the AI Act. In Portugal, 70% of respondents argue that content generated by AI should be identified and emphasize the need for national authorities to combat hate speech and the spread of fake news on the internet.
The survey was carried out between February 24 and April 1, 2025, with a thousand surveys carried out in the 12 countries covered: Germany, Spain, Estonia, France, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom and Sweden.
Text written by Margarida Nogueira and edited by Pedro Miguel Coelho