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.
Gluttonous megacorp aghast that anyone would choose free software.
FTFY
Bit of a nitpick, but according the quote they “problem” Google puts forward is about “…reducing dependence on American tech companies…” not adoption of free software. Their problem, it seems to me, is that they don’t want competition and with that a more level playing field. If the EU would promote or even finance local alternatives, it would only would hurt their bottom line.
As a reminder, Google itself is built and continues to operate on free software. They themselves have released and maintain important software such as Go and Kubernetes conform the open source model. They are also major supporters of governence organizations such as The Linux Foundation. But this is of course b/c they are smart in recognizing their own benefit.
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.” … Kent Walker suggested that this initiative would stifle innovation and deny people access to the “best digital tools.”
The irony. Is the EU going to fall for this? Or does the EU realise that copyright is in fact the “regulatory friction” that “stifles innovation”?
Or does the EU realise that copyright is in fact the “regulatory friction” that “stifles innovation”
No way. The copyright industry in the EU is dominated by government sponsored monopolies (depends on country), No politician goes up against them, because that would mean going up against the media. The media is not going to call out their own cartels. Look up how it works in your country. You may be surprised by the corruption.
That’s probably why we see this ineffective raging against US Big Tech. The incumbents are raging because the Americans muscled in on their turf. But because they are so ideologically pro-monopoly, we can’t have any effective change. Instead, we get regulations that just make it harder for European tech, but occasionally divert a little cash-flow to local insiders.
Drug dealer criticizes addict‘s plan to go sober. More at 5pm!
I mean, it’s a good sign that Google says something about it… i bet we will see more aggresiv actions from big tech in the near future, like trying to buy some brands in the opensource sector. If that is even possible.
could harm competitiveness
they mean "could harm monopolseness"🤣
According to Google, the idea of replacing current tools with open-source programs would not contribute to economic growth.
Does Europe need growth?
And either way, how does making public service more costly by way of licensing fees increase growth in Europe? The license costs could instead be spent funding more European public workers. That’s growth, no?
Google is advocating for US growth at Europe’s expense.
Walker suggested that American companies could collaborate with European firms to implement measures ensuring data protection.
Closed-source software processes data non-transparently, thus compromising GDPR art.5. It’s also a shitty loophole around the GDPR, because when you run a closed-source app, you are technically the one processing the data.
It’s a hole in the GDPR that FOSS fixes.
If Google criticises it, it seems like a very good idea to push exactly in that direction.
Open source fuels so much software division and diversity this claim of it hurting competition is laughable.
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.”
At least they recommended not using Google products. My technological life has also significantly improved since I have ditched this ad serving company.
Tech companies: AI will make software development obsolete in a year. Also tech companies: buy our software.
Ironic Google thinks that, considering most of “best technologies in the world” are built thanklessly off the back of open source projects
suprised Pikachu
“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.””
Yeah, but what if that is exactly what we want: slow down and think about consequences of this because we don’t want the disruption of work, lots of unemployment and even more Elon Musks and Jeff Bezos’ which can shit money but don’t give a shit for the society and pay no taxes at all.
Why do we have to push the market even faster and heat up lots of water to get the CPUs hotter and hotter?
So if Google says that to get even more money for itself then fuck off, Google!
🤣
