From digital dependence to digital autonomy
Society is at risk of losing control over core processes in education, healthcare, or public services due to digital dependence on a few very large technology companies. Different policies and different procurement choices are needed to give space to alternative providers and thus build digital autonomy. This is the conclusion of the Rathenau Instituut based on the report ‘Van digitale afhankelijkheid naar digitale autonomie’ (From digital dependence to digital autonomy).
The dependence on cloud services from American tech companies within government is high on the political agenda. But digital dependence plays a much broader role in society and does not only concern the cloud. The Rathenau Instituut observes that public organisations in various sectors of society are increasingly dependent on the services of a few large American tech companies: not only cloud services, but also software, AI tools, and hardware. This makes society vulnerable. There are risks with immediate consequences, such as system failures or the fact that the U.S. government can legally demand access to data. Researchers at the Rathenau Instituut also see that public organisations are gradually losing control over the core processes of their work, for example because control over the functioning of digital systems decreases and the room for negotiation with big tech companies is limited.
The combination of these factors leads to big tech companies gaining an ever-stronger position
“The urgency of digital dependence is tangible, but it is also important to look at what seemingly happens in the background: a loss of control over public sectors,” says Quirine van Eeden, researcher at the Rathenau Instituut. “The authority of teachers, civil servants, or journalists over how they carry out their tasks, the choices they make, and the priorities they set, may come under pressure due to digital dependence.”
The Rathenau Instituut concludes that public organisations and policymakers must work towards digital autonomy. This requires different policies and a different procurement practice. Big tech companies benefit from factors such as economies of scale and learning effects, enormous amounts of money and computing power, and strategies to consolidate their market position. The combination of these factors leads to big tech companies gaining an ever-stronger position. The explosive growth of generative AI applications may further reinforce this dynamic. Procurement policies of organisations in public domains can stimulate the growth of alternative tech companies. Government policy must also be aimed at creating the conditions for the development and growth of alternative services.
The Rathenau Instituut invites policymakers and public organisations to discuss how control over core processes in public sectors can be maintained and strengthened.
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