European social network 'W' launches as ethical alternative to Elon Musk's X

A new European social network named 'W' has officially launched, positioning itself as an ethical alternative to Elon Musk's X. The platform, unveiled in January at Davos, is now accessible by invitation. W aims to challenge the dominance of American and Chinese tech giants by offering an infrastructure, servers, and investors rooted in Europe and operating under European law.

Anna Zeiter, a professor from Bern, leads W Social AB, the Swedish private company behind the platform. She stated that the network's ambition is to decrease dependence on existing global platforms. A key feature of W is its identity verification process, which requires users to scan a passport or ID card via a separate application upon registration to confirm they are human.

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W Social AB, a Swedish private company, led by Anna Zeiter, owns the new platform. W promises European infrastructure, servers, and investors, under European law. The ambition is to reduce dependence on American and Chinese platforms.

'W' joins a growing list of platforms, including eYou, Eurosky, Mastodon, and Bluesky, that have attempted to offer alternatives in the social media landscape. The platform's commitment to European data sovereignty and ethical operation marks its distinct approach in a competitive market.

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The new network requires its members to prove their identity during registration by scanning a passport or identity card via a separate application, to ensure they are human.