- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
cross-posted from: https://piefed.zip/c/technology/p/1086069/google-criticizes-europe-s-plan-to-adopt-free-software
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.
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Don’t do what we did to get rich! No, stop…
They’re worried. Good.
grinning ear-to-ear while reading this
Oh noo. Anyways…
If Google’s top lawyer is writing an op-ed to discourage you from what you’re doing, you’re probably doing something right.
Please don’t abandon us for a cheaper, more secure, and morally beneficial software. If you do I’ll sue you!
lol. choosing a competitor is harming competitiveness?
I think he’s arguing that not using the most advanced technologies (eg. what Google and Microsoft offer) would be detrimental to worker productivity in the EU.
Of course, in reality, if all those countries start investing in FOSS, they could easily replace the Office suit, SharePoint, the Power platform, etc. I know several programmers who’d gladly devote their time to FOSS full-time if they could. I’ve even met one who simply refuses to work to create anything proprietary.
Choosing a competitior that doesn’t have to worry about profits is what he’s trying to say without actually saying it. Because admitting that an intity undermines the whole capitalist lie that profits drives innovation.
Anyone need a clearer sign that this is the right direction then?
let me duckduckgo a tiny fiddle
So the EU did an impact study that found that adopting open source software would both add to GDP and encourage economic growth and this guy just went: Nah, it wouldn’t, just trust me.
Even if adopting open source software would cost me money I would still encourage my EU representatives to push for it just so we are free from any foreign meddling. Open source software brings transparency, anyone can check what’s in it and there’s potentially millions of eyes looking it over, which makes it very difficult for unwanted code to be sneaked in. It also prevents shit like blocking ICC judges from using certain software and services because Trump asked US companies to do it.
Of course, Google’s concerns have nothing to do with potential loss of revenue.
Given this press release by Google, I presume they’ll also be stopping the use of Open Source code within their company? The should immediately remove all of those Linux installs and put in a commercial product because it would be “better for the economy”. Get working, Google. Once you finish that up, come back and we’ll still ignore you, but at least you’ll be on better moral ground when you show up.
Damn straight, time to cut the umbilical cord.
Cry me a river
Seems like a roaring endorsement to me.
According to Google, the idea of replacing current tools with open-source programs would not contribute to economic growth.
I like how Google just talks about economic growth when the main reason to swap off US tech is to not be entirely beholden to an untrustworthy govt for European digital infrastructure. Kind of shows how fucked up the mentality of Google execs is that all they can think about is money.
Paying more than you should for years and years is also economic growth. It’s not the best benefit -cost ratio or return on expenditure, but that isn’t Google’s priority.
My point is that wasn’t the original reason the EU started looking into this. They started looking into it because of all the shit the Trump admin is doing. If someone like Biden or Harris had been elected, there wouldn’t be this big push to swap off US tech. Economic growth is just a possible side benefit.
The “best digital tools” are entirely depending on the use case and requirements. Since one of the most important requirements is to reduce dependencies to US controlled companies, then Google doesn’t provide the “best digital tools”, no matter how sophisticated their digital tools are!
Even in the narrower use case of returning relevant search results, Google keeps getting worse, as their marketing and user-manipulation needs subvert the service the user wants.
Also Google literally degraded its tools for “economic growth” - worst results equals more searches.
Poor US spyware. I feel bad for them
