Citizens from all over the European Union have registered a so-called European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) for a European social media platform.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have been under scrutiny for quite some time now. This is because they collect and share copious amounts of user data with advertisers, so they can offer personalized ads and make a quick buck. Nowadays, online advertising has become a multi-billion-dollar industry.

This is just one flaw we see with social media. In the past, experts have also complained about how algorithms and recommendation systems work, the number of fake accounts, and the way social media are used to sway public opinion.

“European democracies and their citizens are under siege from hybrid attacks waged on online social media platforms. Non-transparent algorithms are locking users in information bubbles. Billions of fake accounts are spreading disinformation, propaganda, or hatred. Private data is often shared with third parties, and both children and the elderly are targeted by malicious groups or individuals online,” the initiators of the ECI state in an online declaration.

According to them, there’s only one way out for Europe, and that’s by creating a “European safe space alternative.” To that end, they want the European Commission to establish a public European social media platform.

“It would form an alternative to the current platforms and work as a service for society, be funded by society, and be under its oversight. Most importantly, it could stay impartial and independent from political pressures while also guaranteeing the rights of all people without distinction,” the architects desire.

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The ECI for a European social media platform has officially been registered with the European Commission. Starting today, the organizers have six months to open a 12-month period for collecting signatures.

The ECI was launched as an agenda-setting tool for European citizens with the Lisbon Treaty in April 2012. Once an ECI has formally been registered, the initiators have one year to collect one million signatures from at least seven EU Member States.

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When this milestone has been reached, the European Commission has to discuss the proposal. However, this doesn’t mean that the executive branch of the EU has to adopt the recommendations in the proposal. The Commission’s final decision will be based on the initiative’s merits.

To date, a total of 128 initiatives have been registered.

For instance, Cybernews has previously reported on W, a European social media platform, that will require identification and photo validation to ensure that its users are both humans and who they claim to be. However, certain challenges await, as the “better alternative to Elon Musk’s X” might not be as appealing as social media pioneers.