By Fans Week
Published: December 8, 2025 | Updated: 6:15 PM CET
BRUSSELS — The European Commission is preparing to launch “E”, a new public social media platform accessible at e.com, described by officials as a “European digital public square” designed to offer citizens an alternative space for online discussion rooted in EU rules and values.
According to sources within the Berlaymont, the platform is scheduled to go live on 1 March 2026 under the provisional name “E – The European Conversation Space”. A key feature will be a dedicated content-moderation and fact-checking mechanism overseen directly by two senior Commissioners: Thierry Breton (Internal Market) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the Commission). In the event of disagreement between the two on the accuracy or appropriateness of a post, final arbitration will fall to Hans Grookenhawer, a veteran German official from DG CONNECT, who has been appointed “independent oversight coordinator”.
Who can post on “E”?
All EU citizens and legal residents will be able to register and contribute, provided they first obtain “trustworthy contributor” status. This label will be granted by a Digital Trust Committee chaired by France and composed of national experts appointed by each Member State. The vetting procedure is expected to take four to six weeks and will include a review of the applicant’s previous online activity, a short statement of intent, and confirmation of identity via eIDAS-compliant systems.
Main features of the platform
Commission documents outline a deliberately restrained user experience:
- No engagement-based algorithmic timeline (posts appear in reverse chronological order only)
- Strict 120-character limit per post “to encourage clarity and civility”
- Built-in reporting button labelled “This content raises concerns”
- Mandatory display of real name and country flag on every profile
- Emoji palette limited to the twelve official EU symbols plus the European flag
Early reactions
On X, several users reacted with scepticism, while European digital-rights groups have already raised questions about the proportionality of prior vetting for ordinary citizens. A Commission spokesperson stressed that “E is not about replacing existing platforms but about offering a publicly governed space where EU law is applied by default from day one”.
A premium tier, tentatively called “E+”, is reportedly under consideration. For a monthly fee it would raise the character limit to 280 and unlock additional formatting options.
The official unveiling is planned for Europe Day, 9 May 2026, when President von der Leyen is expected to publish the platform’s inaugural post. For now, visiting e.com displays only a countdown timer and the slogan: “A digital home for European voices – coming soon”.
