W Social launches European alternative to TikTok and X

Swedish developers announced a new social network called W Social, positioning it as an independent, European‑based alternative to platforms like TikTok and X. Executive director Anna Zeiter, a data‑protection professor at the University of Bern, said the service will operate under European laws, use European infrastructure and be owned by Europeans. Users must register with a personal ID and, according to Zeiter, their data will be deleted immediately after registration. The platform is presented as a tool to protect democracy, curb hate speech and limit automated bots.

The project is backed by the Swedish investment firm "We Don't Have Time" and includes investors from Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Belgium. Its advisory board features former Swedish ministers and former German vice‑chancellor Philipp Rösler. W Social will be free at launch, with no clear revenue model disclosed yet. The initiative reflects growing calls in Europe for digital sovereignty and reduced reliance on U.S. or Chinese tech platforms.