EU pushes digital sovereignty with new social network and cloud‑gatekeeper rules

The European Union has backed the launch of a new social media platform, W, based in Sweden. Operated by CEO Anna Zeiter, the service requires every user to verify their identity with a passport or ID card before posting, aiming to eliminate bots and reinforce data sovereignty. The platform is hosted on European servers and has received public endorsement from EU leaders such as António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen.

At the same time, the European Commission is preparing Digital Markets Act findings that could label Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure as “gatekeepers” in the cloud‑computing market. Designating the two U.S. providers as gatekeepers would obligate them to improve data‑portability, interoperability and reduce “cloud lock‑in,” with fines of up to 10 % of global revenue for non‑compliance. The move targets the dominance of a few hyperscalers and could open the market to European cloud operators.