ESHCC researchers contribute to report on the digital discoverability of European cultural content

In today’s world, online visibility is crucial for cultural makers to reach their audience. The internet has made this easier, but recent developments have increased inequality within the sector. Digitalisation and the rise of global platforms have drastically changed cultural and linguistic diversity in Europe. The availability of content has increased enormously, but availability alone is no guarantee of visibility and discoverability among the public. 

Over the past few decades, platforms and other digital media have blurred the boundaries between sectors. Artists and creators produce content, whilst major tech companies act as gatekeepers. This has given rise to an attention economy: users mainly encounter content that an algorithm presents to them. As a result, they blindly rely on recommendations or are exposed to only a small fraction of the vast array of cultural content available. It is mainly emerging creators – those who, for example, operate locally or produce content in their own language – who bear the brunt of this. They face competition from global competitors, but also from AI-generated content.

The European report details the various challenges facing cultural creators and sets out recommendations to boost the visibility and discoverability of European cultural content:

• Promoting collaboration and governance between platforms, creators, cultural organisations, policymakers and researchers to ensure fair discoverability through a European forum
• Improving data collaboration and knowledge to enhance discoverability through metadata standards and the collection of cultural data via the future EU Cultural Data Hub
• Developing digital capacity and tools for creators and cultural organisations, such as training programmes and networks, to promote work more effectively in digital environments
• Influencing public behaviour by strengthening digital skills and AI literacy, engaging young and older audiences in line with their needs, and running awareness-raising campaigns on European cultural diversity
• Accelerating research and innovation in the field of discoverability, such as support for fair and diverse recommendation systems, studying the impact of AI-generated content, and developing tools to improve the transparency and accountability of algorithms
• Strengthening the European content offering: funding, curation, visibility and algorithmic transparency. Furthermore, safeguarding this in an era of AI-generated content. 

The report was presented with European Commissioner Glenn Micallef for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. Within the strategic framework “Culture Compass for Europe”, the EU has a leading role to play in establishing rules and policies that help European creators and cultural diversity to flourish. The development of a specific AI strategy for the cultural and creative sectors was also announced, to ensure that AI contributes to a diverse European cultural landscape and supports human creativity. The report is a step towards realising a more diverse, resilient and sustainable European cultural landscape.