Glyph1d ago
I am really starting to loathe the “sovereignty” framing of open source sustainability, or data privacy, or whatever. It would be good to have a better tech community less beholden to the interests of multinational corporations, more globally distributed, etc, but when you have a problem and you think “I know what would make this better. Intense German, French, and English nationalism” now you have like… at least five problems
Show threadAmin Girasol1d ago

@glyph that you for articulating that this "sovereignty" label is really a cover for a retreat into nationalism. Even terms like "sovereign European software" makes me deeply unconformable. Look how European leaders are upping the violent anti-immigration rhetoric and sabre-rattling against Russia. Europe is not going in a better direction than the US.

Any talk of worker solidarity between users and developers is being drowned by this new jingoistic framing.

https://nextcloud.com/summit/

https://gaelduval.com/joining-the-wave-murena-e-os-2026-roadmap/

Nextcloud Summit 2026 - The digital sovereignty revolution starts here

Join experts, decision makers, and innovators on June 9th in Munich, Germany, as we move from discussion to action on digital sovereignty.

Nextcloud
Show thread🫧 Social coding commons

@fluidlogic @glyph

I am afraid "sovereignty" has become a business-world hype cycle word, like "digital transformation" was not long ago, but has lost its shine now. Vapid marketing words that indicate where the money is, and that *must* be used to win a pitch, esp. with gov institutions. The more the better.

Jun 16 at 12:53pmWeb
Show threadAmin Girasol1d ago

@smallcircles @glyph right, hence its use by European companies building on a base of free software and desiring state funding or custom, like Nextcloud GmbH¹ and Murena SAS².

In a way, hearing that "sovereignty" is now a vapid marketing term is a relief, because it may mean the politics embedded in the term have been diluted or lost. But it's still a shibboleth, isn't it?

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GmbH
2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9_par_actions_simplifi%C3%A9e

GmbH - Wikipedia

Show thread🫧 Social coding commons1d ago

@fluidlogic

Note that I think most people have the right idea and values when they say tech sovereignty, and pursue it. It is just that big corporate finds it an effective revenue increasing word too. I liked @glyph follow-up toot, mentioning solidarity, that emphasizes more the social side, not just the tech aspects.

Show threadAmin Girasol1d ago

@smallcircles yes, I specifically mentioned solidarity before I saw @glyph's follow up.

I, too, far prefer solidarity to sovereignty.

Corporations might be alright with sovereignty, but they sure as fuck don't want anything to do with solidarity.