European Commission opens call for safer social media platforms for young people

The European Commission has published a call for proposals to create and test safer and more inclusive features for new social media platforms aimed at young audiences.

The call was published on 29 June 2026. It is part of a €1.48 million pilot project focused on involving young people in the design and development of new European social media services.

The project will include young people from different countries and backgrounds, including young people with disabilities and neurodivergent young people. The Commission says the process should focus on user safety, mental health, privacy and ease of use.

The main goal is to support the launch of at least one protocol-based service centred on the needs of young users. A protocol-based service uses shared technical rules that can allow different apps or platforms to work together.

The Commission says this could help create a European ecosystem of social media apps where users have more choice over where their data is stored, how their content is moderated and which services they use to communicate with others.

The selected project will be expected to analyse the European social media market, develop or upgrade open and next-generation platforms, design an uptake strategy and share lessons for future EU action.

The call is open to entities with experience in youth engagement, software development and scaling businesses or non-profit initiatives.

Applications will be open from 30 July to 6 October 2026. An information session for interested applicants is scheduled for 30 July.