European Social Media Platform eYou Publicly Launches in Bucharest Following 50,000 Waitlist Signups

European social media platform eYou officially launched in Bucharest this week after accumulating 50,000 registered users during its waitlist period that began in March.

The platform was founded by French entrepreneurs Jasseem Allybokus and Grégoire Vigroux, who are based in Bucharest. eYou distinguishes itself through real-time fact-checking capabilities, transparent algorithms, and user-controlled feeds – features designed to address growing concerns about misinformation and algorithmic manipulation in social media.

During the launch event, co-founder Vigroux explained the inspiration behind creating eYou. “It all started last year. I was on my phone, on my X account. That day, don’t ask me why, my feed was entirely about Elon Musk. Only posts about Elon Musk. I had never followed the guy,” he recalled. This experience, combined with receiving a suspicious message on Telegram during Romania’s presidential elections, highlighted what he saw as fundamental problems with existing platforms.

The timing of eYou’s launch coincides with growing regulatory scrutiny of social media giants in Europe, including the implementation of the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, which impose stricter rules on content moderation and algorithmic transparency.

The platform’s emphasis on combating misinformation stems from research indicating fake news spreads six times faster than factual information. To address this, eYou incorporates AI-powered fact-checking technology and feed architecture specifically designed to reduce polarization and limit echo chambers that reinforce existing beliefs.

A key differentiator for eYou is its European identity and commitment to data protection. None of the top 15 social media platforms originate from Europe, a point emphasized by the founders who believe European users deserve better privacy protections. The platform stores all user data within Europe and offers users the ability to remove or reset their data at any time.

Users can also customize their experience by adjusting their interests and the type of content the algorithm provides – an approach reflected in the platform’s name, which derives from “empower you.” To further enhance its credibility, eYou features a news feed called Pulse that sources information from established news agencies Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

The startup secured €300,000 in pre-launch funding earlier this year from Fil Rouge Capital, a venture capital fund specializing in early-stage companies. Matei Dumitrescu, Venture Partner Romania at Fil Rouge Capital, commented on the importance of European innovation in this space: “The EU should not only regulate, but also build. I keep saying we should not only complain about dependence, digital sovereignty, data leaving the European Union, trust, and other issues, while doing nothing serious to address the problem.”

While monetization remains a future consideration, the platform’s current focus is on user acquisition and retention. “We are not looking to monetize short-term because we can’t run all the races,” Vigroux explained, noting that premature monetization efforts could create friction for users.

Though founded in Romania, eYou is already showing international appeal. While most early users are Romanian, the United States represents the second-largest market with 19% of users, followed by several European countries including Sweden, Germany, the UK, and France.

The platform’s launch comes amid growing user concerns about existing social media platforms. A survey conducted by eYou among 370 respondents revealed that 90% encounter fake news or disinformation on social media, while 77% feel manipulated by the content they see. Additionally, 85% believe platforms prioritize profit over user well-being, and 59% doubt their data is safe on current platforms.

The survey also highlighted social media usage patterns, with 13% of respondents spending more than four hours daily on social platforms, and 47% spending one to two hours per day. Despite these concerns, usage remains high across established platforms, with over 80% of respondents actively using Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and a majority also using TikTok and X.

As eYou continues to refine its features and functionality, the founders plan to involve their community in shaping the platform’s development, emphasizing their commitment to user-centered design and addressing the trust deficit in social media.