ghrasko<p>Over the past few weeks, I’ve received a number of encouraging responses to my posts and articles about the <a href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/edai/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">European Digital Autonomy Initiative</a> (EDAI). Many of you appreciated the focus on European or open-source alternatives, the importance of using privacy-respecting services, or the need for stronger EU policy and public funding in this field.</p><p>All of that is great — and yes, it is part of the vision.</p><p>But if I may be honest: I have the feeling that my <strong>core message</strong> may not have come through clearly yet.</p><p><strong>What is the actual novelty here?</strong></p><p>I do not claim to be the first or the only one working on these questions. Quite the opposite: I now realise how many excellent initiatives already exist. Many people and organisations have long been developing European alternatives, advocating for open technologies, or working on digital sovereignty policies. I salute that.</p><p>The EDAI is not meant to replace any of these. It is meant to <strong>connect them</strong>.</p><p>My approach is not about a single issue or a specific action. It is about seeing these efforts as <strong>parts of a larger system</strong>. A system that has been missing from most public debates: a strategic framework that connects awareness, governance, and innovation.</p><p>I call these the <a href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/edai/initiative/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">three pillars</a> of European Digital Autonomy:</p><ul><li><strong><a href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/edai/initiative/awareness-and-engagement/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Awareness & Engagement</a></strong>: digital culture, visibility, user habits, values</li><li><strong><a href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/edai/initiative/policy-and-funding/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Policy & Funding</a></strong>: institutions, regulations, incentives, coordination</li><li><strong><a href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/edai/initiative/innovation-and-ecosystem-building/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Innovation & Ecosystem</a></strong>: tools, platforms, open standards, services</li></ul><p>Many initiatives already operate in one or two of these domains. But what I haven’t seen — and what I believe could make a real difference — is a shared framework where we see <strong>how these elements reinforce each other</strong>.</p><p>A better search engine is great. So is better funding regulation. So is media literacy. But the breakthrough will only come when these things are <strong>mutually catalytic</strong>.</p><p><strong>From independence to interdependence</strong></p><p>Everyone will naturally focus on what they know best. A coder will code. A researcher will analyse. An activist will mobilise. That’s how it should be.</p><p>But if we want more than partial improvements — if we want strategic change — we need to understand how all these efforts fit together. That’s what the EDAI attempts to provide: <strong>a systemic lens</strong> and a space to align our steps.</p><p>It doesn’t mean giving up independence. It means recognising <strong>interdependence</strong>.</p><p>If this speaks to you, stay tuned. In the coming days, I will ask for your thoughts on how we might go about finding collaborators for this idea within the Fediverse community. It’s not a fully-formed plan yet — and that’s exactly why your input could make a real difference.</p><p>Follow me on Mastodon:<br><a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/@techtonicshift" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TechTonicShift (@TechTonicShift@vivaldi.net) – Vivaldi Social</a><br><a href="https://mastodon.social/@ghrasko" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gabor Hrasko (@ghrasko@mastodon.social) – Mastodon</a></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/edai/" target="_blank">#EDAI</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/digitalsovereignty/" target="_blank">#DigitalSovereignty</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/europeanalternatives/" target="_blank">#EuropeanAlternatives</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/techforeurope/" target="_blank">#TechForEurope</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/opensource/" target="_blank">#OpenSource</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/digitalautonomy/" target="_blank">#DigitalAutonomy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/europeanvalues/" target="_blank">#EuropeanValues</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/buyeuropean/" target="_blank">#BuyEuropean</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/techtonicshift/" target="_blank">#TechTonicShift</a></p><p><a href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/2025/05/11/the-bigger-picture/" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/2025/05/11/the-bigger-picture/</a></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/buyeuropean/" target="_blank">#BuyEuropean</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/digitalautonomy/" target="_blank">#DigitalAutonomy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/digitalsovereignty/" target="_blank">#DigitalSovereignty</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/edai/" target="_blank">#EDAI</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/europeanalternatives/" target="_blank">#EuropeanAlternatives</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/europeanvalues/" target="_blank">#EuropeanValues</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/opensource/" target="_blank">#OpenSource</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/techforeurope/" target="_blank">#TechForEurope</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/tag/techtonicshift/" target="_blank">#TechTonicShift</a></p>