What if the digital realm is not just a neutral space, but a new frontier for power, profit, and even a new form of control that could undermine the very foundations of your non-profit, NGO, or even your democracy?

This is the concept of Digital Sovereignty – a vital idea that is gaining urgent relevance across the globe.

The Hidden Power Dynamics

For decades, we’ve been told that tech companies are genious saviors-types, driving innovation and benevolently connecting the world. But a closer look reveals the concerning reality that transnational "Big Tech" corporations, primarily based in the United States, have amassed immense power and wealth. They control nearly every aspect of our digital lives, from the communication platforms we use to the very infrastructure that underpins them.

This phenomenon is increasingly being described as "digital colonialism." Just as historical colonial powers exploited people, lands and resources, today's tech giants extract and control user data, often with little benefit to the creators of that data (people like us).

They build critical communication infrastructures, like social media platforms and network connectivity, not out of altruism, but with the express purpose of harvesting data, generating profits, and consolidating their market influence.

Consider these facts:

• Just three U.S. companies – Amazon, Microsoft, and Google – control nearly 70% of the global cloud market. This means a vast amount of the world's digital activity, from training AI models to storing our photos, happens on their infrastructure.

• Over half of the world's undersea cables are owned or leased by companies like Google and Meta, further entrenching their control over data flow.

• 90% of the software powering public services, hospitals, energy grids, and cities in Europe are operated by just one company – Microsoft. This dependence isn't unique to Europe; countries worldwide are deeply reliant on foreign tech products and services.

This concentration of power means that crucial aspects of our digital world – from how information is shared to how our societies function – are largely dictated by a few private, laregely unaccountable actors whose primary goal is profit maximization and population control, not public good.

What is Data Sovereignty?

At the heart of this discussion is data sovereignty, often confused with "data residency," so let’s clarify the difference.

• Data Residency refers to where data is physically stored. For instance, your data might be stored on a server in your country.

• Data Sovereignty, on the other hand, is about the laws and regulations that govern that data, ensuring it is subject to the legal framework of the country where it originates and is used.

The crucial distinction is that even if your data is physically located in your country (data residency), it might still be controlled by organizations or companies headquartered in other countries, subject to their laws and governmental demands. This means your data may not truly be sovereign.

Take the U.S. CLOUD Act, invoked in 2018, is a significant piece of legislation that empowers US authorities to compel access to data held by American tech companies, regardless of where that data is physically stored or whether it belongs to non-US persons.

This means that even if your data is physically located in an EU country (data residency) and protected by local privacy laws like the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the CLOUD Act can supersede these local protections, allowing US law enforcement to demand access to it.

Essentially, under this act, legal jurisdiction – being controlled by a US-based company – dictates access and control, overriding the privacy frameworks of other nations and potentially exposing users to foreign surveillance regimes they cannot audit or control.

So much for the sovereingty of other nations!

Why then, does this matter?

• Economic Opportunity: Data (the new Oil) is arguably the most valuable resource on the planet today, driving economic growth and innovation. When foreign companies harvest your country's data and keep the profits and value creation abroad, it's a direct loss of economic opportunity for your local economy.

• Control and Autonomy: If your data is governed by foreign laws, you lose control over it. For instance, US surveillance laws like the CLOUD Act allow US authorities to demand data stored abroad by US companies, even if it conflicts with local laws. This means your data, or intellectual property could be accessible to foreign governments without your knowledge or consent, overriding local privacy protections like GDPR.

• Privacy and Security: Not all countries have the same robust privacy laws or the ability to enforce them. If your data is not sovereign, you may unknowingly waive your privacy rights and expose yourself to security vulnerabilities.

• Influence and Manipulation: The vast amounts of data collected allow tech giants to infer highly personal information and predict behavior, which can be used for targeted advertising, political messaging, and even to influence elections. This raises serious questions about democratic integrity and the ability of communities to self-determine.

For NGOs, non-profits, and small businesses, this presents unique challenges:

• Loss of Trust: If your constituents' or customers' data is compromised due to foreign control, it erodes trust – a fundamental asset for your organization.

• Compliance Risks: Navigating different countries' privacy laws when your data is spread globally can be a compliance nightmare, especially for smaller organizations without dedicated legal teams.

• Control over Messaging and Public Discourse: Big Tech companies have amassed significant control over digital communication infrastructures and platforms, which enables them to influence information flow, shape public discourse, and even dictate what is seen as "news" or widely disseminated information. This concentrated power allows them to monitor and potentially suppress messages they deem undesirable or that run counter to their interests, or the interests of governments they align with, effectively "burying" certain content or voices. For organizations relying on digital channels to reach their audience and advocate for their causes, this presents a direct risk of their message being marginalized or censored, impacting their outreach, fundraising, and advocacy efforts.

Building a Different Future: Reclaiming Our Digital Destiny

The good news is that there's a growing global movement to push back against digital colonialism and embrace digital sovereignty. This isn't about isolationism (digital nationalism) or rejecting technology; it's about asserting control, protecting rights, and building digital systems that serve people and the planet, not just profit of the few.

Here’s how we can begin to chart a different path, drawing on lessons from around the world:

1. Demand Transparency and Accountability from Tech Providers:

   • Ask your service providers explicitly about their data sovereignty commitments. Find out where your data is truly governed, not just where it's physically stored.

   • Insist on legal, institutional, and technical accountability from tech firms, ensuring they adhere to local laws and ethical standards.

2. Support and Build Public-Led Alternatives:

   • Advocate for investments in public digital infrastructure, such as regional data centers and publicly owned cloud platforms. This reduces dependency on foreign providers and ensures control over critical digital assets.

   • Explore and champion open-source solutions. Open-source software offers transparency and allows for local customization and control, fostering a "digital commons" free from corporate control.

   • Prioritize local tech solutions where possible. Supporting domestic tech companies can stimulate local economies and align digital development with community values.

3. Strengthen Regulation and Policy:

   • Push for robust data protection laws that mandate local storage, regulate cross-border data flows, and ensure user rights, including explicit consent for data processing and use.

   • Advocate for policies that limit monopolies and data hoarding by large tech companies. This includes scrutinizing mergers and acquisitions and promoting competition.

   • Demand taxation of large digital corporations based on their revenues and data monetization in each jurisdiction, ensuring they pay their fair share and contribute to funding public digital alternatives.

   • Insist on ethical AI development. This means prohibiting uses of AI that harm human rights, replace labor without meaningful alternatives, or exacerbate surveillance.

4. Foster Collaboration and Education:

   • Engage in South-South alliances and international cooperation to pool resources, share best practices, and strengthen bargaining power against global tech monopolies.

   • Promote public education initiatives to help citizens, including your organization's staff and beneficiaries, understand digital rights, privacy risks, and how to participate in the governance of technology.

The shift towards true digital sovereignty is a challenging, long-term endeavor, but it is essential for protecting our economic opportunities, democratic values, and human rights in the digital age. It requires a collective effort from communities, governments, and organizations like yours to reclaim power from unaccountable tech giants and build a digital future that truly serves people and the planet.

What Can We Do Today?

1. Educate Your Team and Community: Share this information. Start conversations about digital sovereignty and its implications for your organization's mission and your community.

2. Review Your Digital Footprint: Understand which digital services your non-profit, NGO, or small business relies on. Question where your data resides and who truly controls it.

3. Prioritize Ethical Tech Partners: When choosing software or cloud services, look for providers that explicitly commit to data sovereignty, open-source principles, and ethical data practices.

4. Engage with Policymakers: Support local and national initiatives aimed at strengthening digital sovereignty. Your voice, combined with others, can drive significant policy change.

5. Join the Conversation: Connect with other NGOs, non-profits, and small businesses that are grappling with these issues. Share experiences, resources, and strategies.

The choice is ours: to remain passive consumers in someones "digital empire" or to become creators of our own technological destinies. Let's choose to build a better, more just, and sovereign digital world for all.