Our society and economy have become entirely dependent on infrastructure provided by big non-European tech giants over which we have too little control. To take back control over our vital digital infrastructure, it is urgent to take action now and create alternatives to the dominant platforms and systems.
A key issue here is protecting our public values. The aim is to avoid the well-known nefarious business cases and governance models of Big Tech, that are based on data extraction and profit maximisation. We want to combat privacy violations, data surveillance, disinformation and polarisation. What is needed is a âresilient and democratic tech marketâ, that works to enhance public values and democratic practice, and lays the foundations for innovation, competitiveness and a flourishing ecosystem of small and medium enterprises working with public and civic actors and the open-source community.
In this panel, we will discuss what is required of politics, policy and businesses to create an environment for a resilient and democratic tech market in the Netherlands.