Ciências ULisboa lecturer joins international Internet Society programme to advocate for an open and secure Internet

Professor Hugo Miranda, from the Department of Informatics of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa), has been appointed ISOC Community Fellow 2026, an international programme promoted by the Internet Society (ISOC) that brings together specialists from around the world to advance public policies and initiatives in defence of an open, secure and trustworthy Internet.

Created with the mission of ensuring that the Internet remains a globally interconnected, reliable and barrier‑free space, the Internet Society annually selects a group of professionals who, after a period of specialised training, are expected to play an active role in raising awareness among the public and political decision‑makers about the challenges of Internet governance. “The ISOC Community Advocacy Fellowship is a programme that brings together and prepares a group of people to take a more proactive attitude in defending these values, influencing public opinion and public authorities in their region,” explains Hugo Miranda.

The 2026 edition received more than 800 applications from several countries. This year, the programme prioritised candidates from Europe and Africa, with the Ciências ULisboa lecturer being one of the 50 selected.

Over six months, the fellows will take part in online training sessions led by Internet Society specialists, complemented by independent work on digital policy and Internet governance. The programme will culminate in an in‑person meeting of the European participants, in Brussels, next October.

For Hugo Miranda, this experience also represents an opportunity to strengthen the role of Portugal and Ciências ULisboa in the international debate on the future of the Internet: “I hope to contribute to making Portugal a reference in the defence of an open and secure Internet, and to ensuring that Ciências is recognised as one of the central points in upholding these values.”

Among the main challenges, the lecturer highlights the need to find technological solutions that reconcile the protection of citizens with respect for privacy and for the principles that were at the origin of the Internet: “There are different matters under discussion regarding Internet regulation for which, I believe due to technical unfamiliarity, solutions have been proposed that endanger the use of the Internet as we know it.”

One of the examples he points to concerns the mechanisms currently being discussed for verifying users’ age when accessing certain online services: “Photographing the user or their identity card, or even forcing authentication through the Digital Mobile Key, ultimately ends up giving third parties or the State more information than necessary, when far less intrusive solutions have already been published in the scientific literature.”

The researcher also notes that other challenges remain unresolved, such as ensuring universal coverage of quality Internet services or preserving net neutrality — fundamental principles for guaranteeing a free and accessible Internet. The appointment is also an opportunity to bring the research carried out at Ciências ULisboa closer to international discussions on digital policy: “The connection with research is direct. Some of the problems facing the Internet today still require research and the development of technological solutions that both users and public authorities can understand.”

He concludes with a message for students interested in technology, digital policy and Internet governance: “Beyond technical knowledge, everyone who contributes something to the Internet must have rigour, critical thinking and ethics. Informatics students have a special duty to remain vigilant against attempts to violate the principles that should govern the Internet. And I believe that Ciências students, in particular, are trained with this in mind.”