Dutch news organisations have issued a joint warning about the growing power of major international tech companies, saying they pose a serious threat to democracy and access to reliable information.

In a letter to coalition negotiator Sybrand Buma, public and commercial broadcasters, newspapers, magazines, online media, news agency ANP and the journalists’ union NVJ say the Netherlands is at a crossroads.

The key question, they argue, is whether information will be shaped by algorithms owned by American and Chinese tech firms, or whether politicians will choose a digital ecosystem rooted in democratic values.

The sector wants the next coalition government to make the security of information a priority. Media production, presentation and consumption are now so driven by technology that the two policy areas “can no longer be separated”, the letter states.

The organisations call for a single cabinet member to take charge of both media and technology policy because the boundary between journalism and technology continues to blur.

The rise of artificial intelligence is a particular concern. Increasing numbers of people, especially young people, rely on AI tools such as chatbots and virtual assistants instead of journalistic sources. “One in nine children uses generative AI as their only source of information,” the letter notes.

The initiative comes from the Stichting Democratie en Media, which supports projects that strengthen independent journalism, media diversity and democratic values.