Strengthening European Media and the Public Sphere

Big US corporations have built online conversational spaces based on their needs, not the needs of our societies. This has contributed to the erosion of democratic conversations online, so mainly the loudest voices get heard. These mechanisms are hard-wired into the DNA of many of the so-called “social networks” we use, says New_Public CEO Eli Pariser, who coined the term "Filter Bubble".

In the Public Spaces Incubator (PSI), public media organizations from Belgium, Canada, Germany and Switzerland together with New_Public collaborate on alternatives, starting from the broadcasters' own platforms. If we care about our democracy, it’s time to offer the public independent online spaces for civic discourse that have the public interest in mind.

PSI builds online spaces that aim to surface a larger variety of perspectives and constructive dialogue. It works to elevate prosocial behavior in a safe environment even during difficult conversations. The results will be public and open-source.