On 22 April 2026, Ricardo Soares took part as a guest speaker in the round table “Likes, Hate and Gender: The Impact of Influencers on Youth”, held within the 6th Psychology Conference, organised by the Psychology Students’ Association of the University of Minho (AEPUM).

The event took place from 20 to 22 April at the School of Psychology of the University of Minho, bringing together students, researchers and professionals from different fields.

The round table focused on analysing the impact of social media on youth development, addressing issues such as the construction of young people’s identities, the role of algorithms in amplifying hate speech, the normalisation of sexism in digital contexts, and the responsibility of schools, families and digital platforms in preventing harmful behaviours.

Participation in this space for reflection reinforces the commitment to critical and informed debate on the challenges that the digital world poses to youth, education, social relationships and democracy.