Europe Can't Defend Democracy on US Servers
a day ago
- #Tech policy
- #Digital infrastructure
- #European sovereignty
- European democracy is under attack from both Russian propaganda and US political and economic pressures.
- Europe needs independent digital infrastructure, including home-grown social networks, to safeguard democracy and freedom of speech.
- The reliance on US tech giants makes Europe vulnerable to blackmail and external control.
- Proposed solutions include building an independent European tech stack (Eurostack), developing homegrown social networks, and enforcing digital laws strictly.
- Eurostack should cover hardware, chips, networks, cloud, software, and AI, ensuring data sovereignty and fair competition.
- Homegrown social networks should reject toxic algorithms and surveillance advertising, promoting algorithmic pluralism.
- Strong enforcement of digital laws, like the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA), is crucial to protect public discourse and media freedom.
- Europe must address fiscal imbalances caused by US tech giants and consider a digital tax if global agreements fail.
- Urgent action is needed to prevent further erosion of European sovereignty and to build resilient digital infrastructure.