It seems that geopolitical uncertainty is growing. From the increasingly and alarmingly isolationist stance of US foreign policy to the often-unchecked power (and sometimes-shameful behaviour) of Silicon Valley’s tech moguls, dependence on American technology presents both ethical and strategic risks.
Whether you find your values no longer align with those of tech giants like Google, Amazon or Meta, or you simply want to de-risk your digital estate, businesses may want to rethink their reliance on large US technology firms.
The risks of US tech dependence
US tech giants dominate key business functions from cloud computing and AI to communications and digital infrastructure. However, monopolistic tendencies, data privacy concerns, and ethical controversies make them a questionable choice for businesses that prioritise integrity and security. Furthermore, the US government’s evolving stance on trade and foreign relations introduces an additional layer of uncertainty.
Sanctions, policy shifts, or sudden restrictions could leave European companies exposed, particularly in critical sectors.
Strengthening digital options
European alternatives are emerging across all areas of technology, offering competitive, often more ethically-aligned options. The appearance of platforms such as European Alternatives is a perfect example of the growing ecosystem of homegrown providers, ensuring that businesses can operate with solutions that align with EU values such as strong data protection (GDPR compliance), open standards, and fair competition.
It’s not entirely dissimilar to our own Ethical Tech Directory – a list of more ethical technology alternatives that can take the place of more common alternatives that are often implemented without knowledge of the impact.
By investing in European technology, businesses not only reduce risk but also support an ecosystem that fosters innovation, economic growth, and digital sovereignty. This shift is not about isolation. It’s about resilience, ethical alignment, and ensuring that our shared digital future is not dictated by forces that might seek to compromise our core values.
Perception matters
It isn’t just office-based technology usage. Consideration must be paid to the platforms we collectively use to reach audiences. It seems more imperative than ever that politicians and public figures move from platforms such as X/twitter to alternatives.
Once home to a verification method that mattered, twitter is no longer a platform that supports truth, authenticity or veracity. It is simply no longer a professional or reputable medium on which to communicate with fans, constituents or clients. Political and business leaders could do much to facilitate the switch to decentralised, transparent platforms not owned by the interests of one individual and support federated social media. Bluesky has quickly become a viable alternative.
What this means for us
We’ve already taken steps to offer our clients alternatives for key services like web analytics – prioritising privacy-friendly alternatives based in the EU over Google’s GA4 platform. We also no longer offer integration or support for platforms like Meta or X/twitter that actively spread disinformation.
For transparency, however, we still rely on Google for key parts of our infrastructure like Worskpace and Google Cloud, as well as Amazon’s Web Services (AWS) for hosting. We recognise this is a journey – it isn’t always possible to embrace complete idealism without sacrificing one’s business in the process. However, we will be considering how we might consolidate or migrate services as we observe the behaviour of the US parent companies, and remain committed to making difficult decisions as necessary.
For businesses looking to make the switch, resources like European Alternatives provide a meaningful way to identify robust, privacy-conscious, and innovative European tech solutions. Ethical Pixels’ own Ethical Tech Directory is another source, which we plan to add an EU-hosted flag to in due course.
It’s incumbent upon all of us to continually evaluate our supply chain and make changes that support our mission and values.
If you’re concerned about the provenance of your digital estate or technology portfolio, feel free to get in touch. We’d be happy to discuss it with you.
