European Council launches pilot program for social media influencers

The European Council has launched a one-year pilot program to grant content creators and influencers limited access to summits and ministerial meetings. Under this initiative, influencers are permitted to attend sessions but will be accompanied at all times and will not receive the same status as traditional media. They are restricted from attending press briefings or asking questions during official press conferences.

This move reflects a shifting media landscape where social media platforms and creators are becoming significant sources of political information. According to a Reuters Institute report, 56 percent of people globally receive news via social media, and 27 percent rely on news-focused creators. While influencers are increasingly used as supplementary information sources, research suggests they are not replacing traditional journalism but rather complementing it, as most citizens continue to use established news outlets alongside digital creators.