A Sweden-incorporated startup has launched W, a new social platform positioned as an alternative to Elon Musk’s X, as viral posts on X claimed the network is an EU-funded project built to police online speech.
A European Commission spokesperson said the EU is not launching or funding any social media platform and that there is no EU-backed project called “W.”
What Is W
W is a Swedish social media startup, positioning itself as an alternative to X (formerly Twitter). W CEO Anna Zeiter said the company is privately owned and backed by private investors largely from the Nordic region. One of the largest shareholders is Sweden-based climate media firm We Don’t Have Time, which holds a 25% stake. The shareholder has previously received EU funding for unrelated communications work, but said it is not connected to W.
Mandatory ID Verification Becomes The Key Debate
W’s central feature is identity verification: only verified users can post, a design choice the company says is intended to reduce bots and manipulation. Zeiter said verification would be handled through third-party providers and that W would not store identity data directly.
Privacy and crypto-native commentators have criticized the approach, arguing that government-ID requirements can raise surveillance and data-risk concerns and may deter communities built around pseudonymity, a format that remains standard across crypto discourse.
