Archive · 23 Jan 2026
Europeans Launch 'W' to Rival Elon Musk's X
Europe is creating a new social media platform called W. It's meant to be a safer and more private alternative to X, which is owned by Elon Musk.
W will make sure users are real people and will follow strict European privacy rules.
The platform is backed by important people from Sweden and will be run by a team spread across Europe.
It was announced at a big event in Davos and will be available to everyone soon.
European organizations are launching 'W' as an alternative to Elon Musk's X, focusing on verified users and strong data protection.
W will require users to verify their identity using photo validation and identification to ensure real users.
The platform is backed by an advisory board including former ministers and business leaders, mainly from Sweden.
W's data will be hosted within Europe by European companies, following strict EU data protection laws like GDPR.
The platform was announced on January 20 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with a broader rollout expected later.
- Who
- European organizations, led by Anna Zeiter
- What
- Launch of a new social media platform called W
- When
- Announced on January 20, with a broader rollout expected later
- Where
- Europe, with planned offices in Berlin and Paris
- Why
- To provide a European alternative to Elon Musk's X, focusing on verified users, strong data protection, and combating disinformation
- Platform Name
- W
- CEO
- Anna Zeiter
- Data Hosting
- Europe
- Verification Method
- Photo validation and identification
- Data Protection
- GDPR compliant
- Announcement Date
- January 20
- Backers
- Former ministers and business leaders, mainly from Sweden