Verify Social Project
VerifySocial is a European civic initiative that proposes a concrete solution to one of the biggest problems of the modern internet: fake accounts and coordinated online manipulation.
The core idea
Every social media account could be associated with a real, verified person — without that person’s identity being publicly disclosed.
The goal is not to control opinions or limit freedom of expression. The goal is for users to know whether they are interacting with a real person or a fake account.
Why nothing new needs to be built
This is the key point that differentiates VerifySocial from a simple petition. The European Union has already approved two important laws. Together, these two laws create exactly the foundation we need.
The first law — ‘Every European will have a digital ID’
The European Union has decided that every European citizen will be able to have a digital identity card on their phone, officially recognized across all 27 member states. Not a password, not an account on a private website — an official state-issued document in digital form, just as valid as a physical ID.
Every EU government is legally required to provide this system to its citizens by 2026–2027.
(Technical name: EU Digital Identity Wallet, regulated under the eIDAS 2.0 Regulation)
Official law: eIDAS 2.0 Regulation — EUR-Lex (art. 57) | More info: EU Digital Identity — European Commission
The second law — ‘Large social media platforms must combat fake accounts’
The European Union has adopted a law requiring major platforms — Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, and others — to take action against coordinated manipulation through fake accounts. This is not a recommendation. It is a legal obligation, with significant penalties for non-compliance.
(Technical name: Digital Services Act — DSA)
Official law: Digital Services Act — EUR-Lex | More info: DSA — European Commission
What’s missing — and what VerifySocial proposes
The two laws exist, but they are not connected. VerifySocial proposes a simple rule added to existing legislation, requiring large platforms to accept the European digital identity as an optional method through which users can confirm they are real people. Nothing built from scratch. No new infrastructure. Just the missing connection between two systems that already exist.
How it would work in practice
Step 1 — Identity verification
The user confirms their identity through the European digital ID — the official digital identity system of their country, already approved by law.
Step 2 — Confirmation without exposure
The system confirms that the user is a real and unique person. It uses technology that responds only with ‘yes, this is a real person’ — without transmitting the name, personal ID number, or any other personal data to the platform or other users.
Step 3 — Account validation
The user links their social media account to the completed verification. A simple label appears on the platform:
✔ verified account — real person
Step 4 — What others see
- ✔ verified account — real person
- ⚠ unverified account — unknown identity
Each user decides for themselves how to interpret this information.
What this verification changes in practice
Once an account is marked as “✔ verified account — real person,” the interactions around that account change.
It’s not just a technical indicator. It’s a signal of trust.
When a user posts or comments, others know that:
- there’s a real person behind that account
- the opinion expressed is taken for granted
- it’s not a possible fake or automated account
In an online environment where content can be artificially generated or amplified, this distinction becomes essential.
Users can more easily distinguish between:
- real opinions, belonging to individuals
- and content distributed through networks of fake or coordinated accounts
This change doesn’t limit freedom of expression, but it does provide context.
And context changes how information is perceived.
The difference isn’t who can speak — it’s how much trust others have in what they’re reading.
Safeguards against abuse
The platform does not learn your identity. The system confirms that you are a real person, but it does not reveal who you are. Facebook, TikTok, or X will not know your name or ID number. They only receive: ‘yes, real account.’
No centralized database. The system does not create or store a permanent link between your identity and your social media account. Verification is a one-time action, not a permanent record accessible to governments or platforms.
Verification is optional. No user is required to verify their account. Unverified accounts can continue to exist.
Independent European oversight. Any adopted system should be managed by an independent entity, subject to oversight by the European Parliament and GDPR regulations — not by individual national governments.
What VerifySocial does NOT do
- Does not control what people post
- Does not censor opinions
- Does not ban anonymity — unverified accounts can still exist
- Does not create a database where governments can see who posted what
- Is not a system built from scratch — it is based on the European digital identity infrastructure, already approved by law
Why through a European Citizens’ Initiative
For this proposal to be officially reviewed by EU institutions, European citizens can use the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) mechanism. If we gather 1 million signatures from at least 7 member states, the European Commission is required to examine the proposal and provide an official response.
➡️ Learn how the European Citizens’ Initiative works
➡️ Find out how you can get involved