Making democracy more resilient.
OpenEcho is a CivicTech organisation that helps our society become more resilient against manipulation and disinformation.
Services include impact communication programs that reach audiences inside their online bubbles.
We work together with institutions and NGOs on the most pressing topics. Our current project is designed to increase media trust among marginalised groups of society, in collaboration with the Austrian Journalists Club.
Photo by Bim
At OpenEcho, we believe that openness to other perspectives is key to a respectful and stable society, benefiting both people and business.
But in today’s digital world, online echo chambers create distance towards others, polarisation, anger and anxiety.
We have come to a point where opinions are shaped by algorithms.
It’s time to step in now. With proactive value-based communication.
What We Do
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Strengthening media trust: Our flagship program in partnership with the Austrian Journalists Club (ÖJC).
Planned pilots on extremism, equality and inclusion, vaccine scepticism.
Programs typically start with a 4-month pilot, followed by a modular roll-out. Scalable across regions and partners.
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Hands-on formats with experts. Discussions on methodology, digital technology, content strategies.
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Collaboration with academic research and analytics: connecting research with a practical framework.
Ensuring transparency, impact reporting and publications.
Our Unique Approach
Transparent and ethical methodology with research integration.
We guide people in finding their orientation on societal topics.
Non-confrontational approach: together with storytelling and behavioural-science, we aim for small steps in attitudinal change, without confronting anyone’s views. For long-term impact.
Thanks to available academic research we know what has caused trust to erode and how it can be restored. We use exactly these drivers as communication angles.
Delivering measurable “Trust Uplift”: a key differentiator vs. traditional awareness or ESG campaigns.
Measurable Impact
Trust Uplift beyond reach and clicks.
Integrated control / test-setup.
KPIs based on social research.
Benchmarking against global trust indicators.
Data on impact at every touchpoint across the user journey.
Why It Matters
And why a resilient society starts with media trust.
Media-critical individuals are more likely to turn to alternative sources of information. This makes them more susceptible to disinformation and polarisation, undermines public discourse and weakens democratic institutions. At the World Economic Forum 2025 this was highlighted as key societal risk. Low trust in media and institutions contributes to the problem.
Trust in institutions is declining. Trust in “the media” in Austria is at 38% (2025) and has declined by 12% since pre-Brexit/Trump 10 years ago (Reuters Digital News Report). As comparison: in Germany it’s at 47%. Among younger audiences and people with lower media literacy, trust is even lower (20–25% and 10–15% respectively). Strengthening this trust back to previous levels is therefore both urgent and promising.
Research shows: trust increases when media are perceived as independent, transparent, representative and as serving society. Through storytelling, we connect these drivers with topics that are relevant to a young and social-first audience. But trust cannot be forced. Our behavioural approach therefore focuses on small steps and long-term impact, using content that broadens perspectives without confrontation.
Shared values: a better understanding about why the media plays an important role to keep our society fair, makes us more resilient against manipulation and fake news. This contributes to social cohesion, solidarity in online discourse and openness to other perspectives. It reduces scepticism toward media and freedom of information and supports a more resilient democracy.
Guided by Principles
Our principles guide us through strategic decisions.
OpenEcho is committed to UN Sustainable Development Goal 16: promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
Our goal aligns with the EU Democracy Shield: strengthening societal resilience, democratic institutions and independent media.
Our Story
During his career, OpenEcho Founder Tjerk Boorsma worked as a consultant in market research and analytics, helping companies understand people better.
"I realised we had incredibly effective techniques for influencing attitudes. But these same tools were also being used to divide and mislead. I kept asking myself: what if we used these for something better?"
That question became OpenEcho. Through collaboration with experts in marketing communication, OpenEcho was built as a framework turning research into practice, and action into measurable impact. The work continues to grow through a network of specialists across disciplines, working toward a shared objective: a society that is more resilient and harder to manipulate.