Social media’s impact on society and citizens clearly shows the need for change. European social media companies and civil society are joining forces to move away from large monopolistic platforms to establish a diverse and resilient infrastructure for information and social connection in Europe, keeping more jobs and revenue generated with social media circulating in Europe. For the first time, the organisations and people building Europe’s open social technologies have aligned behind one declaration, backed by 12 Founding Signatories, 100+ organisations and 600+ individuals. On 4 November the coalition becomes an organisation: the European Social Association, a charitable association based in Germany, and led by civil society. At the launch event, we will lay out European Social´s path towards common projects on moderation, bridging and other infrastructure elements, policy approaches, advocacy and fundraising based on common values and principles that shape the Open Social Web. Curious and interested to support? Please join in. **Schedule** 10.00 **Check-In and Get-Together** 10.30 **The launch of the European Social Association** with founding members Michael Foster (Newsmast Foundation), Sophie Bloemen (Commons Network), Jantien Borsboom (PublicSpaces), Björn Staschen (Save Social – Networks For Democracy), Felix Hlatky (Mastodon), Sebastian Vogelsang(Eurosky), Cathleen Berger (Co-Initiator Open Social Web Alliance) 11.00 **The platforms: The state of the Open Social Web** Panel discussion with Felix Hlatky (Mastodon), Sebastian Vogelsang (Eurosky) Moderation: Björn Staschen (Save Social) 11.30 **Civil Society: The need for an Open Social Web** Panel discussion with Sophie Bloemen (Commons Network), Jantien Borsboom (PublicSpaces), Cathleen Berger (Co-Initiator Open Social Web Alliance) Moderation: Michael Foster (Newsmast Foundation) 12.00 - 12.30 Coffee, Tea & Soft Drinks **Location:** Room "Mosaik" at Wikimedia Deutschland (thanks for hosting us!) **→ Please let us know if you can attend, places are limited:** https://savesocial.eu/eulaunch
Scaling sustainable social networks in the public interest | Heinrich Böll Stiftung | Brussels office - European Union
This policy paper identifies five key challenges for scaling a public-interest social web: infrastructure, governance, funding, attractiveness, and public mandate. It outlines a roadmap for overcoming these challenges and building the Open Social Web Alliance into a relevant force within months — starting in Germany.
Builders' Circle — The European Social Stack
An open declaration: The European Social Stack. Open Social Platforms and Private Messaging.
The European Social Stack · An open declaration
An open declaration: The European Social Stack. Open Social Platforms and Private Messaging.
The European Social Stack · An open declaration
An open declaration: The European Social Stack. Open Social Platforms and Private Messaging.
🇪🇺🌐 The future of social media may be decided in Europe
A survey of European AT Protocol projects, including 4 mini case-studies
W Social, public institutions and the theater of European digital sovereignty | Hacker News
And weirdly, there was never a peep about this in the press - while the W Social launch was on national news and a bunch of high-profile EU politicians immediately joined. What's going on here?
W-Social: What does sovereignty mean for social media? – Open Future
The European Commission’s move to W-Social frames it as a European alternative to X, but its closed-source code and reliance on Bluesky’s infrastructure show that sovereign social media requires open infrastructure—not European ownership alone.
Elena Rossini 🌈 (@_elena@mastodon.social)
Do you remember the surprise announcement of a new social network in Davos this past January? Something that promised to be the "first" European social network? Its name is #WSocial and it's a fork of #Bluesky. Its founders have ties with European politicians - but there is no official involvement by the EU. You wouldn't know any of this from media reports because they all rehashed their talking points. So I wrote a post about it, dispelling some myths: https://blog.elenarossini.com/w-social-uncovered-the-reality-behind-the-hype/ #OpenWashing
Building resilient social media
Next week I’ll be in Berlin, speaking at a Franco-German “Summit on European Digital Sovereignty” satellite event to help launch…
Elena Rossini 🌈 (@_elena@mastodon.social)
#WSocial will open up their beta program today… and I have a SCOOP for you: it appears that they have quietly gone closed-source! This is ironic, considering that the @EUCommission@ec.social-network.europa.eu just unveiled their Tech Sovereignty Package, emphasizing the importance of #OpenSource. And yet they have migrated their main ATproto accounts to W Social - whose code can no longer be inspected! My full article - with a great analysis by @aral@mastodon.ar.al: 🔗: https://blog.elenarossini.com/w-social-public-institutions-and-the-theater-of-european-digital-sovereignty/ #FOSS #DigitalSovereignty #BigTech
Commission accused of promoting European social media platform | Euractiv
The Commission announced it will join W social during its beta launch
Commission accused of promoting European social media platform | Euractiv
The Commission announced it will join W social during its beta launch
Public Service Social Media as a Democratic Safeguard | TechPolicy.Press
Christine Galvagna proposes an EU fund to support decentralized, public service focused social media networks to protect digital rights and democracy.
W Social – Public Beta Launch
Is anyone considering going for this project. digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/new-call-proposals-sh…
New call for proposals to shape safer and more inclusive social media platforms
digital-strategy.ec.europa.euJust launched at Public Spaces in Amsterdam, The European Social Stack Open Declaration! A set of common principles agreed by complementary technology leaders 🫶 Read the declaration, add your signature, and share: european.social #EUSocialStack #Europe
