Based on an empirical perception of the growing demand for mapping the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, the present work launches an investigation about the when, how and why there have been such advancements on the representation of these areas. To respond to when, we revisited the history of Rio s favelas — and, consequently, the gradual achievement of social rights acquired by its residents — opposing this background to its representation in historical maps. At this point, we highlight two aspects: the exponential increase of the number of favelas mapping projects, especially of the ones where there are Police Pacification Units (UPP), due to the city s preparation for the mega events (World Cup and Olympics); and the recurrent use of the participatory mapping concept in most of the projects that make use of local residents expertise. Based on this reflection, we have developed a particular method to analyse the projects, through which it was possible to conclude that, despite the fact that most of the projects sell themselves as participatory, there are some rare cases in which the population is actually invited to think critically about the mapping actions and the development of the method, or even about the implications of these actions, the records of the local memory etc. Therefore, after close monitoring of two great agents projects (Google and City Hall of Rio de Janeiro), one can conclude that their core is not based on the content of the projects themselves, nor on the life improvement of the favelas population, but on the promotion and the spectacle of performing such actions.