W marks the X-spot: European social network takes on Musk / Photo: © AFP
-
Hotel Blacklist Launches New Accommodation Industry Risk Assessment Tool
-
Messi says Argentina retirement is 'saddest day of my career'
-
Bangladesh nuclear plant draws hope -- and worry
-
Oil rises and stocks fall as Hormuz worries flare
-
US beat Canada 1-0 to wrap up four-win international break
-
Pacific presses world for help 'surviving' climate change at pre-COP summit
-
Turkey, Australia's joint COP31 leadership raises doubts
-
Verstappen revival to be put to the test in steamy Singapore
-
For Turkish NGOs, COP31 offers rare space for action
-
US woman who survived botched execution is conscious, speaking: lawyers
-
Sleep, appetite, gene-editing experts contend for Nobel chemistry prize
-
Climate champion Australia digging more coal
-
Nobel Peace Prize haunted by the 'spectre' of Trump
-
Emotion, tears as Messi retires from Argentina national team
-
Africa launches own credit agency in bid for cheaper borrowing
-
Dodgers push Braves to the brink of MLB playoff exit
-
US, China, EU: three paths to regulating AI
-
Crisis-stricken Haiti postpones elections
-
Australia's High Court rules against coal mine in landmark climate case
-
N. Korea's Kim pledges 'invariable support' in Putin birthday letter
-
Australia touts new funds for Pacific infrastructure at Fiji 'pre-COP'
-
OGRD Alliance Advances PLPC Multi-Asset Platform Following APHELAR Milestone, Expanding Licensing and Strategic Capital Frameworks
-
Eva Marie Saint, Oscar winner of Hollywood classics, dies at 102
-
Emotion, tears as Messi prepares for Argentina farewell
-
Australia probes app used in cheap smart glasses over privacy fears
-
Kane eyes Ronaldo record after matching England cap mark
-
England needed to 'move on' from World Cup pain, says Tuchel
-
Spain fight back to beat Croatia, Kane adds to record for England
-
O'Neill to stay at Celtic after period of "reflection"
-
Merino double helps Spain beat Croatia, reach Nations League quarters
-
Kane marks 125th England cap with Wembley Nations League double
-
US stocks hit fresh records as oil stabilizes on rising supplies
-
Quebec's incoming separatist leader wants to block Crown from swearing-in
-
As Messi bows out, Argentines say 'thank you'
-
Emmys gala will now stream its premier television awards
-
Ronaldo opens door for Portugal return, apologises for walkout
-
Paramount completes Warner Bros takeover, creating Skydance
-
'Nobody seems to care': Russian city shrugs off plague reports
-
Trump blames France unrest on Islam, migration
-
Hundreds arrested in French school protests as Macron summons ministers
-
Apple's Cook praises EU over efforts to protect children online
-
WADA seeks tough anti-doping stance from Kenya
-
Nobel winner Halzen says years of October 'misery' finally over
-
German ex-spy chief arrested for suspected espionage, treason
-
Quebec separatist win rattles Carney's unity push
-
Furyk vows US will 'do more' to end Ryder Cup losing streak
-
'Itching' for change: Shiffrin cuts back slaloms this season
-
Iyer hits ton as India hammer West Indies in T20 opener
-
'Gen Z has risen up': Tens of thousands mass for tense France school protests
-
Mandhana named India women's team captain after Kaur quits
W marks the X-spot: European social network takes on Musk
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.
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.
J.Fankhauser--BTB
