Despite efforts to build their own digital industries and infrastructure, most countries remain dependent on American tech firms for the provision of core government services. But government officials can tip the balance of bargaining power by attaching certain standardized provisions to public procurement and services contracts.
PARIS—Many policymakers now recognize that digital sovereignty has become a precondition for democratic self-government in the 21st century. The problem is that most countries rely on cloud infrastructure and software platforms owned by a handful of powerful tech firms, largely based in the United States, leaving governments at the mercy of foreign corporate behemoths.