The EU is gearing up to launch its own social media platform, W, as tensions with X and the US rise. W is being pitched as a platform designed to combat disinformation and position itself as a “better” alternative to X. However, there’s the question of how feasible this is, as trying to replace a social media platform is difficult.
Convincing users to abandon X won’t be straightforward. We’ve already seen this with platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon, where migrations largely fizzled out once people realised their audiences didn’t follow them.
Social media runs on networks, not just features. Losing years of followers, posts, and engagement is a big ask — especially for businesses and organisations that rely on visibility.
W will reportedly require identity verification using government-issued ID in an effort to eliminate bots — a major driver of disinformation across Europe.
While that may help with authenticity, it also raises red flags. Many users are understandably cautious about handing over personal data, which can already be seen prominently in the UK with the Online Safety Act.
Ironically, staying on X may still matter for Europeans who want to reach American audiences and challenge misinformation directly — even if research suggests that approach is largely ineffective.
Even after incidents like Grok (users exploiting the AI to generate explicit images involving women and children), there hasn’t been a notable mass exit of X users.
Whether W becomes a serious contender or just another well-intentioned platform remains to be seen.
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