EU leader joins new ‘W Social’ platform, cites Europe-based data hosting, privacy rules

European Council President Antonio Costa has joined the newly launched social media platform “W Social,” describing it as a useful addition to his communication strategy, according to his office on Wednesday.

“This is the first post of President Costa on the new ‘W Social’ platform, which launched today,” his office said.

Explaining the decision to join, Costa’s office said the platform had been assessed in terms of its features and commitments, concluding that it would be “a useful and relevant addition” to his existing communication tools.

W Social, which positions itself as an alternative to US social media company X, was highlighted as a European initiative with data fully hosted in Europe and a strong emphasis on privacy protections.

“The fact that W Social is a European venture, data will be fully hosted in Europe and the company’s strong focus on privacy were important arguments for the President to join the platform,” the statement said.

It added that users must verify they are human before joining or posting, a requirement presented as part of the platform’s approach to safety and authenticity.

Costa’s office also noted that W Social runs on the same protocol as BlueSky, meaning users who already follow the President on BlueSky will continue to receive his updates on the new platform.

The European Commission also urged users to engage on the new platform, presenting it as a Europe-based space for “open and safer online conversations” in a post on W Social.