All the Ways Europe Is Ditching American Technology
Europe is done with American Big Tech. Well, sort of. Since the start of President Donald Trump’s chaotic second administration last year, concerned governments and companies across the continent have accelerated plans to end their near-total reliance on technology from US firms. Alongside political declarations, home-grown European tech development, and millions in additional funding, a WIRED analysis has documented dozens of public instances of companies, governments, NGOs, and education establishments stepping away from US technology companies in favor of open source or local alternatives. It is likely the tip of the iceberg. “The aggressive policies by the Trump administration, attacking international law, as well as the EU and democratic principles, has led to several wake-up calls,” says Marietje Schaake, a non-resident fellow at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center and a former member of the European Parliament. The moves are widespread—and growing. Last week, the European Commission launched its official long-term plans to rely less on US technology. The European Parliament has switched the default search engine on its devices from Google to the French alternative …
