EDPS decentralised social media pilot: the end of a successful story

Two years ago, the EDPS embarked on a pioneering journey to launch two social media platforms, EU Voice and EU Video. The pilot project has proved successful in delivering alternative, privacy-friendly and user-focused social media platforms. It is time to review the results.

On 28 April 2022, the European Data Protection Supervisor launched a pilot project featuring two social media platforms: EU Voice and EU Video. The two platforms are part of the free, open-source and decentralised social media networks, based on Mastodon and PeerTube. Over the past two years, EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies (EUIs) had the opportunity to create accounts on the platforms and connect with users registered in the Fediverse, an online network of platforms and services interconnected with each other, including social media platforms.

Initially due to run for one year, the pilot project of EU Voice and EU Video was extended for a second year, due to its success amongst EUIs and its users. By the end of the pilot project, EU Voice hosted 40 institutional accounts, including EU Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament, and EU Video hosted 6 accounts, making EUIs the largest group of public bodies present on the Fediverse globally.

Leave a Comment