EU Pursues Digital Sovereignty From US Tech

Why this is here: The EU is replacing Microsoft Office in some institutions with European software such as Office EU and free open-source alternatives.

In Europe, the European Union is actively pursuing digital sovereignty to lessen reliance on American tech companies. The EU aims to control its own digital infrastructure—hardware, AI, software, and social media—and align technology with core values like human rights. This strategy includes switching to European software like Office EU and developing local cloud alternatives such as Gaia-X.

However, large tech companies are attempting to shape this movement to benefit themselves, offering “sovereignty-as-a-service.” Countries including India, Brazil, and South Africa are also developing similar plans. Decentralized social media ecosystems like the Fediverse and AT protocol offer viable alternatives to dominant platforms, and open-source software provides alternatives to established suites.

Australia faces similar challenges with its reliance on foreign-owned infrastructure and could benefit from a roadmap for digital sovereignty, potentially learning from Indigenous data governance frameworks. The effort to build independent systems requires broad adoption and coordination, and remains a complex undertaking.