European Commission switches from X to Mastodon as EU pushes tech sovereignty
By
Euractiv
Front-window bakery material. Catches the eye, delivers the goods.
Summary
The European Commission has replaced X (formerly Twitter) with Mastodon as its recommended social media platform on its website, as part of a broader EU push for tech sovereignty. Mastodon, an open-source European platform, gained significant traction after Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter in 2022, attracting up to two million active users at its peak. The article, based on an interview with Mastodon's Executive Director, explores the platform's positioning as the leading European alternative to X amid growing EU efforts to reduce reliance on US technology.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe change is part of a wider European push to move away from US tech.
Mastodon, originally an open-source hobbyist project, was catapulted into the limelight when billionaire Elon Musk took over Twitter and began rebranding it, stylistically and ideologically, in 2022.
Up to two million people actively used the platform at the high point of that wave, Mastodon's Executive Director said.
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