41 Kommentare

  1. superdouradas on

    Google has criticized the European Union’s intentions to achieve digital sovereignty through open-source software. The company warned that Brussels’ policies aimed at reducing dependence on American tech companies could harm competitiveness. According to Google, the idea of replacing current tools with open-source programs would not contribute to economic growth.

    Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs and chief legal officer, warned of a competitive paradox that Europe is facing. According to the Financial Times, he said that creating regulatory barriers would be harmful in a context of rapid technological advancement. His remarks came just days after the European Commission concluded a public consultation assessing the transition to open-source software.

    Google’s chief legal officer clarified that he is not opposed to digital sovereignty, but recommended making use of the “best technologies in the world.” Walker suggested that American companies could collaborate with European firms to implement measures ensuring data protection. Local management or servers located in Europe to store information are among the options.

    The EU is preparing a technological sovereignty package aimed at eliminating dependence on third-party software, such as Google’s. After reviewing proposals, it concluded that reliance on external suppliers for critical infrastructure entails economic risks and creates vulnerabilities. The strategy focuses not only on regulation but also on adopting open-source software to achieve digital sovereignty.

    According to Google, this change would represent a problem for users. Walker argues that the market moves faster than legislation and warns that regulatory friction will only leave European consumers and businesses behind in what he calls “the most competitive technological transition we have ever seen.” As it did with the DMA and other laws, Google is playing on fear. Kent Walker suggested that this initiative would stifle innovation and deny people access to the “best digital tools.”

    The promotion of open-source software aims to break dependence on foreign suppliers, especially during a period of instability caused by the Trump administration. The European Union has highlighted the risks of continuing under this system and proposes that public institutions should have full control over their own technology.

    According to a study on the impact of open-source software, the European Commission found that it contributes between €65 billion and €95 billion annually to the European Union’s GDP. The executive body estimates that a 10% increase in contributions to open-source software would generate an additional €100 billion in growth for the bloc’s economy.

  2. XanderGraves on

    „The asshats that want to control every single software you have think it’s a bad idea“

  3. what is up with american monopolies making all these empty threats? i’d understand if they actually made valid points, but this just reeks of desperation

  4. oflahertaig on

    Company that ruthlessly extorts the world with a de facto search monopoly whines about competitive barriers. An unbelievable brassneck.

  5. charming_iguana on

    >Walker claims the market moves faster than laws and warns that regulatory friction will only leave consumers and European companies behind in the „most competitive technological transition we’ve ever seen.“

    I.E. spying on us and shoving AI down our throats? I am good king. All these American companies can leave Europe for all I care. Google search has gotten so bad anyways, I literally just use it to look for reddit threads answering my question.

    Unironically all this „competitive“ tech only exists to further enrich giant tech comapnies

  6. DenverDude2 on

    So American tech companies spend millions to help Trump get elected and millions more after he’s elected to buy favor and spend most of their time on their knees in front of him and now are stunned that there’s blowback because their chosen authoritarian maniac’s threats against the world now make American companies appear to be untrustworthy and unreliable. Too fucking bad.

  7. Aufklarung_Lee on

    In other news: Health Insurance providers and pharmaceutical companies criticize universal healthcare.  They say they don’t oppose the move but warn it may mean that patients won’t get the best possible treatment.

  8. It’s been a looooong time since the days of « don’t do evil »…

    F-U Google, disrespectfully.

  9. TheWhiteGuardian on

    So the yanks and Google are annoyed by the fact. Brilliant. More of this please.

  10. Dumping corporate tech is what the world really needs. Everyone loves a penguin.

  11. AetheriusAzure on

    “Big bad wolf criticizes little piggy decision of building underground bunker”

  12. „The company warned that Brussels‘ policies to reduce dependence on US technology companies could harm competitiveness.“

    Google can absolutely gobble on my ballsack.

  13. Considering how much money Google has made by piggy-backing off of free and open source software (Android, Chromium, etc.) this is a bit rich coming from them.

  14. Says the company that uses open source projects as the base of their software.

  15. So, basically, they are worried about losing a massive market and are coming up for a reason to criticise it.

    >Google’s legal director clarified that he is not against digital sovereignty, but recommended leveraging „the best technologies in the world.“ Walker suggested that American companies could collaborate with European companies to implement measures that guarantee data protection. Local management or servers in Europe to store information are some of the options.

  16. I would be open to a TikTok style proposal. Google, Amazon and Microsoft should create EU based spin off companies owned by European companies. They can license US technology but should operate strictly under EU law, separated and US independent infrastructure, separated datacenters. Problem solved. No US authority.

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