Europe's digital sovereignty crisis demands urgent action. A photorealistic image shows the European Union flag fractured across a digital circuit board. The golden stars are split by a deep crack in the screen, symbolising European Digital Dependency, technological fragility, and the erosion of sovereignty in the digital age.
Emerging Technologies and Geopolitical Power Shifts Geopolitical Impact of New Technology The role of social media in shaping public discourse

European Digital Dependency and the Battle for Democracy

From Musk’s vulgar dismissal of the EU Commissioner to Europe’s reliance on Google Cloud and Chinese 5G, the story of European Digital Dependency is one of sovereignty without power. This article explores how regulations like the DSA clash with harsh realities: Europe depends on the very technologies it seeks to govern. From military contracts to social media platforms shaping elections, it traces how foreign tech has become embedded in Europe’s democratic core, and what pathways exist to reclaim digital resilience.

By Alissa Chmiel
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A black-and-white photo of a lamppost covered in worn stickers, one of which reads “BIG DATA IS WATCHING YOU.” The blurred city lights in the background create a dystopian feel, underscoring the urgent need to reclaim digital sovereignty.
Emerging Technologies and Geopolitical Power Shifts Emerging Technologies and Geopolitical Power Shifts

Why We Need to Talk About Data Again.

Data is the defining resource of the 21st century, but the question of who owns, controls, and benefits from it has become strangely opaque. This article revisits the idea of digital sovereignty in light of three technological frontiers: the Internet of Things, Brain-Computer Interfaces, AI and its acceleration through quantum computing. It traces how regulatory retreat and public disengagement have opened the door to unprecedented forms of data extraction, including from the human brain itself. The fight for data rights may well be the defining democratic struggle of our digital future. This article calls for a renewed public conversation about data as the foundation of democratic self-determination.

By Alissa Chmiel
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Close up of a quantum computer
Emerging Technologies and Geopolitical Power Shifts Geopolitical Impact of New Technology

How Quantum Computing will affect Global Security

Quantum computing is no longer science fiction. As new processors reach milestones in error reduction and qubit counts, they raise urgent questions about digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, and global inequality. This article explores how quantum technologies might reshape international security frameworks and asks whether their development will serve the public interest or reinforce existing power asymmetries.

By Alissa Chmiel
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