Global Ecovillage Network Europe: Digital Sovereignty and Charting a New Course in Social Media
The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and so too must our approach to connecting with our community. In GEN Europe, we believe in fostering open, ethical, and transparent communication which aligns with our values. While we understand the importance of reaching a broad audience, we do not want to compromise our commitment to Digital Sovereignty that respects privacy, inclusivity, and responsible information sharing.
Recent policy changes on platform X (formerly Twitter), have led us to re-evaluate our presence there. X’s challenges stem largely from its leadership transition and its approach to free speech and platform governance. The platform’s shift to paid verification and other fundamental changes has sparked debates about accessibility, while its lack of clear communication about policy changes has created growing uncertainty among users. As a result, we have decided to discontinue our engagement on X.
We value our community and want to assure you that we remain committed to staying connected. You can still find us on Facebook and Instagram, where we will continue to share updates, news, and stories from the ecovillage movement. These platforms allow us to maintain contact with our existing audience and reach new supporters as we closely observe how Meta is evolving. Currently, Meta’s most pressing challenge lies in content moderation. We evaluated that the company struggles to effectively control the spread of harmful content, hate speech, misinformation, and violent material across its platforms, thus implying they stopped with moderation altogether. We are dedicated in our intention to maintain safe online spaces where our communities can interact and get informed about the current news around the network. To this end, it is imperative to engage in forward-thinking strategies that encompass self-regulation, international recommendations, and thoughtful regulation.
We’re increasing our activity on LinkedIn, recognizing its value for professional networking and collaboration, especially in sustainability and social impact. LinkedIn’s focus on professional content tends to result in less toxic or overtly harmful content compared to platforms designed for broader social interaction. Their privacy policy is accessible, and they offer some control over data sharing settings. While not perfect, their relative transparency builds some trust.
Looking forward, we are excited to expand our presence on platforms that prioritize ethical practices and open-source principles. We have recently established accounts on BlueSky and Mastodon. While we acknowledge BlueSky clarifies that they may use your personal information for marketing/research and with third-party services, it represents a step forward in the evolving landscape of social media. However, for those prioritizing data privacy and community ownership, Mastodon presents an even more compelling alternative. Its open-source nature ensures transparency and allows users to verify how their data is handled. This distributed model also fosters a more diverse and resilient social environment, free from the algorithmic manipulation often found on centralized platforms. We encourage you to join us on BlueSky and Mastodon as we explore these new avenues for connection and dialogue! We truly believe these platforms offer a more aligned environment for building community and sharing information in a way that respects user rights and data privacy.
We are also exploring a presence on TikTok, recognizing its significant reach, particularly with younger demographics. Our participation is contingent upon TikTok demonstrating a robust and sustained commitment to data privacy and security. This is a critical factor for us, and we are closely monitoring developments in this area. We will only consider establishing a presence if we are confident that our community’s data will be handled responsibly and transparently. Specifically, we are interested in the progress TikTok is making regarding data governance, including initiatives like Project Clover.
We believe in the power of collective action and transparent communication for a sustainable and equitable future. We invite you to join us on our new platforms, where we’ll share information, foster dialogue, and strengthen our network. Engage with us, share your experiences, and contribute your perspectives – by working together, we can amplify our impact.
We look forward to connecting with you and continuing this journey together, building a thriving network for a better world!
Further reading:
https://www.euronatur.org/en/what-we-do/news/exit-hate-speech-47-organisations-cease-activities-on-x
https://algorithmwatch.org/en/full-statement-on-meta-announcement
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-bluesky-why-are-people-leaving-x-platform
