Europe’s Clash with Big Tech is not about free speech, it’s about upholding democracy and digital independence

Francesca Bria
5 min readSep 28, 2024

By Francesca Bria

This is the english version of my op-ed published in Die Zeit.

The last month has seen an onslaught of high-profile government clashes with Big Tech CEOs. While framed as a fight for free speech in public, governments are now faced with an ugly reality. Are these CEOs so powerful they are now above democratic law?

Elon Musk has danced around regulation enforcement, outright refusing to comply with judicial orders in Brazil leading to the partial blocking of X in the country. This behavior has been echoed in his ongoing tensions in Europe. After the EU’s former Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton issued a formal letter to Musk reminding him of X’s obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act, Musk merely responded on his platform with an offensive “Tropic Thunder” meme cursing the Commissioner. In Australia, Musk labeled the government “fascists” over new legislation aimed at curbing the spread of deliberate falsehoods on social media. These proposed laws could result in social media companies being fined up to 5% of their annual revenue.

Musk isn’t the only CEO in the spotlight. Pavel Durov’s unexpected arrest in France, linked to Telegram’s alleged failure to prevent criminal activities, has sparked furious debate on the boundaries of free expression. While some libertarians argue this sets a dangerous precedent, their view neglects the critical need to protect societal norms and responsibilities.

Even though X in Brazil and Telegram in France have partially given in to the pressure, these incidents reflect a broader struggle over control of the digital public sphere that we are witnessing right now. Democracies should never allow businesses to grow so powerful that they can defy governments and courts. When companies reach this level of influence, they can distort public discourse, sway elections, evade taxes, and deepen societal divides — posing a direct threat to democracy. The concentration of power in the digital economy now undermines the vision of digital infrastructures that serve public needs and protect fundamental rights.

Europe is facing a turning point. There is a narrow and closing window to reclaim our autonomy, sovereignty, and freedom to innovate. As Europe slowly enacts its new “digital constitution” through regulations like the DSA, the AI Act, and the European Media Freedom Act, it must demonstrate the leadership to go further. This is about more than merely enforcing regulation, but taking the lead in creating independent, democratically governed digital infrastructures that uphold collective values.

This is our opportunity to demonstrate to the world that there is an alternative to Silicon Valley’s profit-driven Big Tech model and China’s Big State approach. Europe needs to build its own autonomous European digital governance model- a sort of Big Democracy.

The creation of a European digital stack — an infrastructure analogous to roads, water systems or electricity grids — is essential for ensuring the public’s access to digital services such as IDs, payment systems, and data platforms. These infrastructures play a critical role in managing essential services like accessing healthcare, and social welfare and education. They are the backbone of modern society.

However, our reliance on imported technologies across the entire tech stack, poses a profound risk to our autonomy, industrial competitiveness, and economic security.

Building an independent “Eurostack” requires addressing dependencies at every level of modern technology: from microchips and data centres to cloud services, data spaces, and AI.

Currently, 80% of Europe’s digital products, services, and infrastructures come from external sources, exposing critical vulnerabilities in key sectors. It extends to critical applications like social networks, used by billions, where personal data and information are exchanged. These new digital public spheres would ensure that citizens can engage in democratic processes, access reliable information, and participate in public discourse in a way that reflects the values of transparency, accountability, and public service.

We don’t have to look far for examples of how governments have effectively built institutions that serve the public interest. Take the BBC, for example, which was established to provide impartial information and act in the public good. It operates, similar to public media like ARD and ZDF in Germany, largely free from both corporate profit motives and government interference. Unlike commercial broadcasters that rely on advertising revenue, the BBC is primarily funded through a license fee paid by UK households. This model allows it to avoid the pressures of advertisers, ensuring its content remains free from commercial influence and profit-driven agendas. In addition, the BBC’s governance structure, with oversight by an independent board, helps shield it from political interference, preserving its editorial independence.

This model shows how public institutions can be designed to serve societal needs, uphold democratic values, and resist both commercial exploitation and political manipulation.

In the digital age, the need for such institutions is even more urgent. Countries like India, Brazil, and Taiwan have already begun taking steps to regain democratic control over digital spaces, data, and services, ensuring these areas serve the public interest rather than private or political interests.

Europe could champion the creation of a European Digital Corporation, a joint initiative focused on building the EuroStack. This organisation would lead Europe’s efforts toward digital independence, supported by a dedicated EU Fund for Technological Sovereignty that will be able to attract top talent and foster innovation within Europe, creating an ecosystem where tech companies can thrive under regulations that protect rights, data, and the environment, moving beyond Big Tech dominance.

This approach aligns with the recommendations of the Draghi Competitiveness Report, which calls for European investment in public goods like digital infrastructures to close the productivity gap in an evolving geopolitical landscape. The United States and China are rapidly reshaping global supply chains to secure their strategic positions, and ensuring massive spending. If we do not act now, Europe will continue to lose ground. This vision of a free, innovative and democratic Europe needs bold investment in digital industrial policy, allowing us to build alternatives which counter the growing dominance of tech giants.

Europe must move beyond surveillance-based, monopolistic business models that exploit personal information and data and instead create a digital public sphere that promotes values like privacy, pluralism, and freedom of expression.

The implications of failing to act are dire. When figures like Elon Musk use their platforms to amplify far-right views, support divisive leaders like Trump and Bolsonaro, and incite violence against marginalised groups, they are not exercising free speech — they are undermining the very principles that European democracy stands for. By building and nurturing independent digital public infrastructures, Europe can safeguard its democratic values and ensure that technological sovereignty and democratic principles are turned from aspirations into realities that shape Europe’s digital future.

--

--

Francesca Bria

President, Italian Innovation Fund @GruppoCDP. Honorary Professor @IIPP_UCL. Founder @decodeproject. Former CTO @BCN_digital. https://www.francescabria.com