Europe's 'W' Social Media Platform Launches, Emphasizing Privacy and AI Sovereignty

The Swedish-based social media platform 'W' has launched its beta version, positioning itself as Europe's answer to US-dominated Big Tech. The platform, announced at the World Economic Forum in January, is built on principles of verified human users, transparency, privacy, and free speech.

Top European officials, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, are already using 'W'. To gain access, users must undergo a verification process, either by sharing their real name or anonymously through the 'W Identity' app, which scans passports or national IDs.

CEO Anna Zeiter stated that 'W' plans to host its data on European servers owned by European companies and will limit its investors to those based on the continent. The platform intends to utilize Proton, a Swiss encrypted email provider, and UpCloud, a Finnish cloud computing platform, to comply with EU privacy laws.

The launch of 'W' coincides with a growing movement in Europe for tech and artificial intelligence sovereignty, driven by concerns from countries like France, Germany, and the Netherlands about national security and data privacy risks associated with reliance on US Big Tech companies. 'W' is one of several alternative European social media platforms, including Bulle, Eurosky, Monnett, and eYou, that have committed to building a resilient infrastructure independent of large, monopolistic platforms.