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Forget X here's W: The new European social network to take on Musk

AFP
AFP - news@thelocal.com
Forget X here's W: The new European social network to take on Musk
This illustration photograph shows the homepage of W, a new European social media platform built around verified human interaction, privacy and open infrastructure, displayed on a smart phone screen, in Brussels on June 15, 2026. Photo: Nicolas TUCAT / AFP
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As Europe pushes for more tech sovereignty, social network W believes it has the X-factor to win users away from other platforms: it's European.

The competitor to Elon Musk's X platform was announced in January but it will be available to the public initially by invitation in the coming days and weeks.

At a launch event in Brussels, the company touted that top officials including EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde as well as EU institutions and media groups were using W.

Based in Sweden, the company has dozens of investors including entrepreneurs and executives from across Europe including Britain, France and Switzerland.

The tech team is based in Ukraine, CEO Anna Zeiter said.

Zeiter said the company wanted to create a space where humans interacted more with each other than AI bots, and under European control.

"Social media are coming from other countries outside of Europe. We are giving away the revenue. We are giving away our data. We are giving away our attention," she said.

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W is not the only fledgling network seeking to capitalise on rising transatlantic tensions under US President Donald Trump since his return last year.

There are also Bulle (French for "bubble"), Eurosky, Monnett -- a hybrid of TikTok and Instagram, planned for release in July -- and eYou.

The most popular social networks in Europe are Meta's Facebook and Instagram with 259 million monthly users, Chinese-owned TikTok with 135.9 million monthly and X with approximately 115.1 million users, according to the EU.

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Darshan
Ah, 'W'—because nothing says 'cutting-edge European innovation' like building a replica of something that already exists! Instead of pouring taxpayers' hard-earned money (and certain redirected funds) into creative new tech showcases that the world actually needs, we’re playing a multi-billion euro game of 'Me Too!' with US tech giants. The forget the amount US pours into innovation every year. This feels less like a tech revolution and more like expensive show business with a predictable ending. Good luck to the launch, but I think the fate is already written!
Francis
Why on earth would they put the tech team in Ukraine, a non-member state, well known for corruption? Ok AFTER they join, following all the normal procedures to meet the Copenhagen criteria, but now, in order to regain sovereignty over our data, it is ridiculous. They don't even meet the GDPR exemptions, like Switzerland or Uruguay. This Ukraine fixation at the EU level will be the end of us.
Dale
Well it sounds groovy.... but the deep cynic that I am (following the atrocities of Brexit and Trump 1 & 2) thinks that "W" will be hijacked by the Åkessons and Farages of this World and all of their lowbrow minions and the herd that trot behind them, and the lies that are destroying our freedoms and literally our planet, will be given even more flex. I cry for my 2 year old grandson. I'll be dead of old age or disease.... but his generation will burn. What sort of legacy is this we bequeath?
Paul C.
I wish them success. I would rather use EU based services and not US based ones.

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