Our society is digitizing at breakneck speed. From healthcare and education to tax returns and communication: almost everything is (partly) digital these days. At the same time, we as a society are losing our grip on the technology that makes this possible.
Increasingly, public and private services are (partially) dependent on a handful of foreign tech companies, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Meta. This dependence, combined with the much criticized practices of these companies, undermines the protection of our personal autonomy and freedom.
Besides the unhealthy relationship with Big Tech, the dependence on other states and more specifically the United States is also problematic. And that while privacy protection and culture in the U.S. differs greatly from what we have as a standard in the Netherlands and Europe.
The seriousness of the situation is underscored by several alarming reports. TNO found in 2022 that more than 90% (!) of our digital data runs through servers in the US. As a result, that data also falls under U.S. legislation, such as the CLOUD Act. This is legislation that gives U.S. authorities (under conditions) access to all data processed by U.S. companies. This applies even if the data remain physically in the Netherlands.
Digital sovereignty is about control over digital infrastructure, software and data. It is a prerequisite for society to be able to decide for itself what technology we deploy, under what conditions, and at the service of whom.
Not all responsibility in the digital society can be placed on the individual, research by the Rathenau Institute shows. Politics has a clear role here. This is also confirmed by the Advisory Council on International Affairs in its unsolicited opinion warning against "dominant states and technology companies [that] set the rules of the game." In its advice, the prominent advisory board calls on government and parliament for political direction.
Far-reaching digitalization requires political choices. Do we want a society in which citizens remain in control of their lives? Or do we put our future in the hands of opaque companies and foreign legislation?
Privacy First calls on political parties to show color: include digital sovereignty and privacy in the election manifesto. Not as an afterthought, but as foundations of a free, democratic rule of law.
