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.
The leopard of consequences is hungry for tech oligarch faces.
Eat, you majestic creature. And godspeed.
really fun fuck you google
Remember, whenever you see a patently weak argument like this from a trillion dollar corporation, they’re not saying it because they think anyone will believe it. They’re saying it to give the corrupt politicians in their pocket some way to pull a straight face when voting in the corporation’s favour.
Fuck you, Google.
This is good. It means that the efforts are working and Google is getting nervous. Let them get nervous and let’s give them a lot more to be nervous about.
“Buy my shovel! Don’t buy that other guys shovel!” Ah, capitalism, you crazy old whore.
the idea of replacing current tools with open-source programs would not contribute to economic growth.
Wrong.
creating regulatory barriers would be harmful in a context of rapid technological advancement
Wrong.
Walker suggested that American companies could collaborate with European firms
What does he not understand about digital sovereignty?
According to Google, this change would represent a problem for users
No, for Google. Also, wrong.
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.”
If that’s the price to avoid technofaschism… And, again, wrong.
Tl;dr: stop wanking, Walker.
I don’t know if he believes his own made up BS here, but these are some really idiotic statements. I’m glad the EU is taking steps to not use infrastructure created by a fascist government. At this point I don’t think there’s a reason to distinguish FANG (and their friends) from the government seeing how buddy buddy they all are with each other.
Google trying to scare Europe into giving them money and power back in their region 😥 Stfu and let Europe get their individuality and contribute to open source projects which will help Americans like me much more than any amount of money given to Google.
they are obssesed with growth and staying ultrarich instead of what it is best for everyone.
What happened to: “Google ❤️ open source”
They love appropriating it, not when people use it to kick their evil asses to the curb
Sacrificed on the profit altar, it would seem.
Why would anyone want €100 billion in economic growth from open source investments when you can give the CIA all your data and gain access to innovative new ways to generate AI slop?
“could harm competitiveness”
Wouldn’t it be funny if they took the pool of cash they were dedicating to google, but it in half then distributed the remained to the open source initiatives they were switching to?
They’re so wise!
Google literally supports a bunch of open source projects. Wtf are they saying?
In a lot of cases (like Mozilla), they supported these efforts to legally maintain their monopoly over digital services.
Google is an ad company, they are using their size and influence to redesign the rules of the internet to ensure their presence can’t be bypassed or controlled by the end user.
They want all internet traffic to pass through them.
Burn Google to the ground I say.
Grow a pair and take it up with the shit gibbon in the whitehouse.
Unfortunately, they will, then we’ll all have to hear the news of some incoherent new anti-France rant.
