If you had asked me half a year ago whether we would first see Terminator-style AI killer robots or mainstream politics talk about Big Tech dependencies, I would bet on the killer robots. Six months ago, the IT press and legislative commissions might have discussed Digital Sovereignty and the dependencies on big tech. Yet, after the back-and-forth of the new US administration, the question of whether depending on large US companies is a security risk has entered the mainstream. Thus, let us explore the ideas behind digital sovereignty, open-source, and big tech.
The Problem Of Big Tech Monopolies In The US
Today, the world’s biggest tech companies provide an array of products. Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Co. are synonyms for their most successful products. Yet, Big Tech goes beyond a single product, no matter whether it is Windows, Google Search, or Facebook. The early 2000s anti-trust cases against Microsoft already showed the power of an integrated company that provides the complete computer experience out of one hand. Since then, Microsoft has expanded its status and added additional companies, products, and services to its portfolio. The other big tech companies aren’t far behind, and together, they stifle innovation and try to control the future of tech, as we can see in the latest iteration of the AI race.
Yet, the problems run deeper than a single company. The headquarters of most Big Tech companies are in the United States. Initially, this provided a stable governance background and access to the plush funding of the US Government and Defense budgets. Yet, with the rise of the anti-terror legislation and the increasing volatility of US politics, the advantage has become a liability. Instead of stable governance, radical ideologies from the far spectrums of the political landscapes have started to gain hold in Washington. These, in turn, have influenced trade policies and expectations about corporate governance. It also led to an expectation by the government that big tech would assist in espionage and anti-terror operations, no matter the justification and court positions.
Digital Sovereignty
Digital Sovereignty is the answer to the legal problems arising from Big Tech’s location. It drives governments, organizations, and private users to stay in control of their data and not give it up to big tech companies subject to foreign laws.
While the movement gained prominence when Edward Snowden leaked the depth of US surveillance on its alliance, it recently engulfed even some of the closest US allies. Calls in Canada to end its dependency on Google Cloud services, especially Google Classroom, have gained significant support after President Trump’s tariff announcements.
Another recent area where digital sovereignty has become a hot-button issue is AI. Whether it is the US’s concerns for their data and privacy when using Deepseek or the EU’s efforts to build a European AI infrastructure, AI has become a battleground for local control.
Open-Source for Digital Sovereignty
In this debate, open-source software is a keystone to local control. The problem with proprietary software and digital sovereignty is that no one can control whether a vendor follows the applicable policies and regulations. For example, the UK is trying to force Apple to provide a backdoor to its encryption system. Even if Apple announces that they localize the backdoor to iCloud users in the UK, no one could verify whether this is true.
Only the ability to read the source code or pay someone to do so allows everyone to ensure that the software is secure and free of undue influences. Without that ability, software, cloud services, and AI might contain undue backdoors, even if run in localized data centers.
Digital Sovereignty For Self-Determination
In the end, Digital Sovereignty allows us to control our destiny and keep our IT free from undue influences. With communication, media, and political speech increasingly moving toward digital platforms, control of digital channels will continue to be a battlefield for states and organizations to maintain control of information. Adding AI and its thirst for data into the mix gives us a holistic view of why companies and countries want to control our digital lives and the data of other organizations and Nations.
Digital sovereignty and open source are the only principles against this dystopian future. Let us get together and say no to undue influences and dangerous practices. Let us embrace a future where we are in control.