He didn't really propose a publicly-funded alternative to Facebook though, at least not in the sense people seem to be inferring. He threw out some vague ideas

He didn't really propose a publicly-funded alternative to Facebook though, at least not in the sense people seem to be inferring. He threw out some vague ideas to create a digitally focused sister organization to the BBC, which "could develop new technology for online decision making and audience-led commissioning of programmes and even a public social media platform".