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.

Women are leaving technology jobs in Europe largely because of workplace culture, according to a new report that warns the gender gap in the sector could widen as artificial intelligence reshapes the industry.

The study by consulting firm McKinsey & Company found that women accounted for just 19 percent of employees in core technology roles across Europe in 2025, a decline of three percentage points from the previous year. The drop suggests that long-running efforts to improve gender representation in the industry have failed to deliver meaningful progress.

“Workplace culture is the biggest reason why women are leaving their tech jobs,” the report said, adding that the growing influence of artificial intelligence could deepen the divide if companies fail to address the problem.

“As AI reshapes roles and value creation in tech, existing gender gaps could widen without deliberate action,” the report warned.

The gender imbalance becomes even more visible as careers progress. Women’s participation in the technology workforce falls by as much as 18 percentage points before reaching management levels. As a result, women hold only 13 percent of management positions in tech companies and just 8 percent of executive or corporate leadership roles.

Researchers say the early loss of women from the talent pipeline contributes to the lack of representation in leadership positions.

The report also found that women tend to be concentrated in a limited range of roles that do not typically lead to senior leadership positions. Women represent 39 percent of employees in product management and 54 percent in design roles. However, these positions account for a relatively small share of the overall technology workforce and rarely lead to executive decision-making roles.

In fast-growing fields such as artificial intelligence, data and analytics, men continue to dominate entry-level hiring. The report said this trend is especially concerning as AI expands across the sector.

Researchers warned that the imbalance could result in fewer perspectives shaping technologies that increasingly affect society. The report said this could create a “narrowing of perspectives at precisely the levels at which bias, accountability and societal impact must be addressed.”

The challenges facing women in tech persist even in countries known for strong gender equality policies. In Finland, women represent 36 percent of technology workers, while in Sweden the figure is 23 percent.

The study also examined why many women choose to leave the sector. Nearly half of those surveyed reported experiencing sexism or bias in the workplace over the past year. Around 82 percent said they felt pressure to prove themselves more than male colleagues.

Many respondents said they often felt isolated in their roles because they were the only woman on their team or in meetings.

The report also highlighted what it described as “office housework,” which includes tasks such as organising events or mediating team conflicts. Women are more likely to be asked to perform these duties and spend an average of 200 hours a year on them.

McKinsey said companies could address the gap by improving workplace culture, setting clear representation goals and strengthening mentorship programmes. The report also recommended investing in reskilling programmes to help women move into emerging AI roles as the technology workforce evolves.