A group of activists has begun a campaign calling for the creation of a publicly funded European social media platform, after the European Commission formally registered a European Citizens’ Initiative on the proposal.
The registration allows organisers to begin collecting signatures across the European Union in support of the idea. Under the rules governing such initiatives, campaigners must gather at least one million signatures from citizens in a minimum of seven EU member states.
The signature drive is expected to take up to 12 months once it begins. Campaign organisers have up to six months to prepare the process before collecting support, meaning the entire effort could extend over roughly 18 months.
If the campaign reaches the required threshold, the European Commission would be required to consider the proposal and decide whether to draft legislation supporting the project.
The initiative reflects growing debate in Europe about the influence of global social media companies. Most of the world’s largest platforms are operated by companies based in the United States or China, and European policymakers have repeatedly criticised them over data protection, content moderation and broader social impacts.
Calls for a European alternative have intensified in recent years. The discussion gained momentum after Elon Musk purchased the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in 2022. Since then, some European users have experimented with alternative platforms, although most have returned to larger networks because of their established user bases.
One example of a European-developed platform is Mastodon, which operates through a decentralised network of servers. Despite its presence in the market, it has not achieved the same level of global popularity as the largest social media services.
Supporters of the new proposal argue that a European platform funded by society could offer a different model. According to the initiative’s description, the network would operate as a service designed for the public and would be overseen by society rather than private owners.
Campaign organisers say such a platform could remain independent from political pressure while protecting the rights of users and promoting fair treatment for all participants.
Even if the initiative succeeds in gathering the required signatures, many practical questions remain. It is unclear whether the project would involve building an entirely new platform or supporting existing services. The timeline for development is also uncertain because any new legislation would still need to pass through the EU’s lawmaking process.
If approved, the project would likely require a procurement process before development begins. This step alone could take significant time.
The cost of the proposed platform is another key issue. Organisers estimate that developing and operating the network could cost about one euro per citizen each year. Across the European Union, that would amount to roughly €450 million annually.
They argue that such a contribution would represent a small expense for individual citizens while providing Europe with a digital platform designed specifically for public interests. Whether EU institutions and member states would agree to fund such a project remains an open question.
