At Michael Culture Association (MCA), we are committed to promoting cultural diversity, innovation, and ethical values in all our activities. Today, we are proud to announce that we have joined a collective initiative alongside major cultural and media networks and projects across Europe to advocate for ethical digital practices and greater digital independence.

We have signed the Open Letter “Rethinking Digital Practices and Spaces,” urging the European Commission and the Creative Europe Programme to address the growing threats posed by the monopolistic practices of tech giants. The letter calls for decisive action to support the use of independent, open-source, European digital tools in EU-funded cultural and media projects, thereby promoting a more sustainable, fair, and pluralistic digital environment.

The key demands include:

• Introducing ethical digital alternatives as a new evaluation criterion in Creative Europe’s calls for applications.
• Rewarding projects that actively move away from dependence on tech giants and instead prioritise independent, privacy-respecting technologies.
• Supporting ongoing European initiatives that already propose open, inclusive, and sustainable digital solutions.

This collective action reflects a shared concern about the current state of digital capitalism, where unchecked monopolistic power, deterioration of moderation standards, and disregard for human rights are becoming increasingly normalized online.

By joining this initiative, we reaffirm our belief that cultural and media players must lead by example. We must champion digital practices that align with European values of pluralism, diversity, independence, and sustainability.

Now more than ever, it is urgent that we rethink and reshape our digital spaces to serve the public interest and preserve democratic principles.

🔗 To learn more and endorse the Open Letter yourself, visit here.

Together, let’s seize this opportunity to build a better digital future for culture and media in Europe!