European Commission launches study on the visibility and promotion of cultural diversity on the Internet

With this study the European Commission puts cultural diversity in front and centre, to learn more on how people discover cultural content online and about the impact of algorithmic recommendations and of other technologies on exposure to cultural and linguistic richness.

 

The study aims to understand the availability and accessibility of cultural content online and how content prioritisation practices, algorithm recommendations, and curation strategies influence exposure to cultural and linguistic diversity.

Special emphasis will be placed on the music and book sectors, recognising their significance in preserving and promoting diverse cultural expressions. Other cultural and creative sectors, apart from the audiovisual, may be considered too.

 

Protecting and promoting exposure to cultural and linguistic diversity online

The study will raise awareness on existing regulatory and non-regulatory measures to promote presence and discoverability of local cultural content and provide recommendations at different levels for cultural diversity promotion in the digital sphere.

 

To carry out this project on the exposure to cultural diversity online, the European Commission has recently selected a consortium, consisting of the following entities:

• Panteia
• KEA European Affairs
• Erasmus University Rotterdam
• University of Warsaw (DELab)
• imec-SMIt (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
• IDEA Consult

 

The consortium will rely on a scientific board and a stakeholder’s community and will organise a series of focus groups as well as an interactive workshop and a conference to ensure the involvement of relevant sectors and experts from different backgrounds. The project has a duration of 18 months. Results are expected by the second half of 2025.

 

Las ciudades españolas de La Laguna, Casares y Miranda de Ebro, galardonadas con los Premios Capitales Europeas de la Inclusión y la Diversidad de 2024/td>

 

Background

Safeguarding cultural diversity is one of the pillars of European and national cultural policy. The EU Work Plan for culture 2023 -2026 acknowledges the importance for European cultural content being discoverable, beyond simply being available online.

In order to achieve this, the EU Work Plan for Culture includes a specific action that consists of a study focused on this crucial topic.  The European Parliament welcomed the action that also generated great interest among the cultural and creative sectors.

 

More information: European Commission