W and eYou are betting on a backlash against US tech giants and Trump
A wave of European-owned social networks is gaining attention as politicians and users across the continent look for alternatives to billionaire Elon Musk’s increasingly controversial platform X.
Since Musk’s takeover of the social media service formerly known as Twitter in 2021, concerns over disinformation have fuelled unease among many Europeans who once relied on the platform as an information network and a central forum for public debate.
This growing sense of unease has been compounded by recent French and EU investigations into child sexual abuse material apparently circulating on the platform.
But X is not alone in sparking concerns. Other social media giants are facing EU scrutiny over their online governance: the European Commission has opened several investigations into platforms under the Digital Services Act (DSA) – spanning concerns such as disinformation and election security, product safety and illegal content, and child protection.
