Brussels: European organisations are preparing to launch a new social media platform called W, positioning it as a homegrown alternative to Elon Musk-owned X at a time of rising political, regulatory, and digital tensions between Europe and the United States.
The platform is being developed with a clear focus on verified human users, strong data protection, and the fight against disinformation. According to Danish media reports, W is backed by an advisory board made up of former ministers and business leaders, largely from Sweden, reflecting its strong European roots.
Unlike existing social platforms, W will require users to verify their identity through photo validation and official identification. The goal is to ensure that accounts belong to real people, not bots or fake profiles, a problem that has increasingly undermined trust on major social networks.
Anna Zeiter, chief executive of W, has said the name reflects its core idea. W stands for We, while two hidden V meanings point to Values and Verified. She also noted that W appearing before X in the alphabet was a coincidence that suited the platform’s positioning.
A key selling point of W is that all user data will be hosted within Europe by European companies. The platform will fully comply with European Union data protection laws, including GDPR, giving users greater control over how their personal information is handled.
This approach sets W apart from many global platforms whose data is stored or processed outside the region, often raising regulatory and privacy concerns.
Why Europe Is Seeking an Alternative?
Support for W comes as relations between Europe and the United States face renewed strain. US President Donald Trump recently announced fresh tariffs on some European countries, adding to existing diplomatic tensions.
At the same time, X has been locked in disputes with European regulators. The platform was fined 120 million euros under the EU Digital Services Act for failing to meet transparency requirements. Musk responded by sharply criticising European authorities, deepening the rift.
Concerns within Europe have also grown over X’s role in political discourse. A group of 54 Members of the European Parliament has urged the European Commission to support alternatives to major social platforms, arguing that X no longer functions as an open and balanced space for political communication or journalism.
Disinformation and AI Risks
Disinformation remains a central issue. Zeiter has warned that large-scale misinformation is eroding public trust and weakening democratic decision-making. She argues that Europe needs a platform built and governed locally, with human verification, free expression, and privacy at its core.
X has faced fresh criticism following the spread of AI-generated explicit images, including digitally altered content involving women and children, reportedly linked to its chatbot. These incidents have intensified calls in Europe for stricter oversight and accountability.
Zeiter is a Swiss privacy specialist with extensive experience in technology and data protection. She previously spent more than a decade at eBay working on privacy, compliance, and artificial intelligence matters. She holds a doctorate in law from the University of Hamburg and has studied at Stanford University.
W will operate as a subsidiary of We Don’t Have Time, a media platform focused on climate action. Its core team is spread across Europe, with planned offices in Berlin and Paris.
W is not yet available to the public. The platform was unveiled on January 20 at an event held alongside the World Economic Forum in Davos. A wider rollout is expected later, though no official launch date has been announced.
