Regulatory Challenges in the Digital Age Take Center Stage at the Final Session of the “Arquivos do Saber” Series in 2026

The regulation of digital technologies and their impact on fundamental rights and democracy will be the focus of the fourth and final session of 2026 in the “Archives of Knowledge: Science, History, and Memory” series, which will take place on November 18 at 2:30 p.m., at the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) on the Science and Innovation XXI Campus, Building B. Participation is free, subject to prior registration by November 17.

The session, moderated by Paula Urze, a professor at NOVA FCT and a researcher at CIUHCT, features Maria Eduarda Gonçalves, a full professor at ISCTE and a member of DINÂMIA’CET-ISCTE, who will present the paper “From Freedom of Information to Rights to Information: Regulatory Challenges in the Digital Age.”

The presentation will focus on the evolution of the Internet, from its ideals of freedom of expression and access to information to today’s challenges, such as the protection of personal data, the rights of content creators, misinformation, illegal content, and artificial intelligence. The role of the European Union in regulating the digital space will also be discussed, including the responsibilities of technology platforms and the impacts of this model on the protection of fundamental rights and the quality of democracies.

The “Arquivos do Saber” series is an initiative of the FCT, organized by its Science and Technology Archive, aimed at promoting its documentary collection and fostering knowledge and the study of the history of science, science policy, and research institutions in Portugal. These sessions take place in an informal setting of sharing and discussion, seeking to highlight the value of the documentary heritage held by the FCT and its importance to the memory of national scientific activity.

See the “Arquivos do Saber” series page for more information.