A new social media platform called W Social plans to launch by the end of 2026. Europe will develop, manage, and host the entire operation.
Want to post? You’ll need to verify your identity with a passport first. The platform chose authenticity over speed.
W Social appeared at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. Over 750 investors across 15 countries back the project. Founder Anna Zeiter served as Chief Privacy Officer at eBay before this.
The platform offers an alternative to X, especially after X received a 120 million euro fine in December 2025 for breaching the European Digital Services Act. W Social operates under European data protection laws.
Social media expert Jaap van Zessen points out the passport requirement creates a barrier to growth. The compliance structure exists from day one, not as an afterthought.
The name stands for “We” and represents the journalistic questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why. It also forms two Vs for “Values” and “Verified.”
Implementation follows European guidelines. For now, the passport verification process stays mandatory.
