Malte Engeler3d ago

When people talk about "digital sovereignty" and "european alternatives" I really just wonder what the hell they are talking about. Just look at Schwarz Digits, controlled by LIDL-boss Dieter Schwarz. That's not an alternative. That's a menace.

Posted while listening to the great talk by Anna Kraher at #cablesofresistance in Berlin.

https://programm.infraunited.org/cableresist26/talk/VJYLJW/

Big Tech made in Germany? Lidl und das Verprechen digitaler Souveränität Cables of Resistance - movement conference against Big Tech

Unter dem Label digitale Souveränität wird momentan massiv in digitale Infrastrukturprojekte „made in Germany“ investiert. Unternehmen greifen darunter direkt in KI-Entwicklung, Wissenschaft und Bildung ein und rufen dabei eine nationale (digitale) Identität an. Soziale Bewegungen stehen vor der Aufgabe, lokale politische Praxis zu entwickeln, die den transnationalen Zusammenhang im Blick behält.

Show threadDan3d ago
@malteengeler Not sure what your point is. Stick with the US tech bros because EU is just as bad so who cares? Stop using technology all together?
I mean, no one ever claimed that all and every EU based alternative to all and any US based service is great and perfect, did they?
Show threadMalte Engeler3d ago

@Dan my point:

https://programm.infraunited.org/cableresist26/talk/37MJS8/

Cables Of Hope - socialising digital platforms instead of reforming the status quo Cables of Resistance - movement conference against Big Tech

Digital platforms are the powerful manifestation of capitalist digitisation. They manage and commercialise every aspect of our lives, whilst evading democratic control. This talk aims to make the socialisation of these platforms a central component of a transformative movement connecting people's needs and digital tools.

Show threadDan
@malteengeler I would agree on those suggestions but can't see how that contradicts the move towards EU based alternatives for various other services. Example: I work at a Norwegian university. We are forced to use MS cloud services for everything we do. I'd much rather have an EU based and owned cloud service. Wouldn't you agree?
Apr 12 at 9:27amWeb
Show threadMalte Engeler2d ago

@Dan Yes and no.

https://www.structural-integrity.eu/a-larger-cage-about-the-ongoing-calls-for-digital-sovereignty/

A larger cage: about the ongoing calls for "digital sovereignty"

Calls for "digital sovereignty" are still everywhere. They are a central narrative of contemporary European economic policies, they serve as powerful justifications for corporations to call for subsidies and they are also omnipresent among progressive digital policy NGOs and activists. Aline has alr

Structural Integrity
Show threadDan1d ago
@malteengeler Hmm. I am certainly in the group which advocates for moving away from big US corp. is good.
What I don't get in the essay: It repeats about a dozen times that moving to EU based services doesn't make things better.
But it does not seem to give any suggestion on what the alternative would be. Or that suggestion slipped my attention. How do you "democratise" a cloud service? Have the infrastructure operated by the government?