X (Twitter)
X (formerly Twitter) is a US microblogging and social network platform owned by Elon Musk's X Corp, headquartered in San Francisco. Since its 2022 acquisition, it has faced scrutiny in Europe over content moderation and DSA compliance.
Brand Identity Data
Verified on August 2, 2026
Corporate Lineage
Founded
Twitter, Inc. is launched as a microblogging platform.
IPO
Twitter goes public on the New York Stock Exchange.
Acquisition
Elon Musk acquires Twitter for $44 billion and takes the company private.
Rebrand
Company rebrands from Twitter to X.
DSA Designation
European Commission designates X as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act.
European Alternatives to X (Twitter)
Mastodon
Mastodon is a German decentralized open-source social network and microblogging platform, operated by Mastodon gGmbH in Berlin. Built on the ActivityPub protocol, it has no algorithmic feeds, no advertising, and no corporate ownership.
Compare X (Twitter) vs. Mastodon