Tensions between the US and Europe have raised fears of a potential 'kill switch' that could be used to disable the internet in Europe. US companies, particularly Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, dominate the European cloud-computing market, making up 70% of its infrastructure. Experts worry that an unpredictable US leader might order these companies to turn off services in Europe. Despite assurances from these companies about the protection of EU clients' data, concerns about 'digital sovereignty' persist, driven by significant reliance on American technology across various sectors.
"Critical data would become inaccessible, websites would go dark, and essential state services like hospital IT systems would be thrown into chaos," says Robin Berjon, a digital governance specialist who advises EU policymakers.
Microsoft, Google and Amazon all say they offer "sovereign" cloud computing solutions that safeguard EU clients' data, and would prevent such a scenario ever occurring.
At the root of these concerns is the fact just three US giants - Google, Microsoft and Amazon - provide 70% of Europe's cloud-computing infrastructure, the scaffolding on which many online services depend.
Those fears became urgent in May when it emerged that Karim Khan, the top prosecutor at the Netherlands-based International Criminal Court (ICC), had lost access to his Micro.
Collection
[
|
...
]