Europeans Increasingly Skeptical of U.S. Technology: Over Half Want Digital Sovereignty

According to a recent survey by Proton, a Swiss company specializing in digital services focused on privacy, the trust of European users in U.S. technologies would be declining. The research is based on a relatively small sample but remains intriguing. It involved 3,000 citizens from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.

According to the survey, 45% of respondents would be more inclined to avoid products and services that entrust user data to U.S. companies. This position primarily stems from concerns related to personal data protection and information security.

The study comes in a context where over 74% of European companies are still using products and services from American firms like Microsoft and Google. Despite this wide usage, consumers seem to be paying increasing attention to the origin of the technologies employed by companies, particularly regarding email, cloud storage, messaging applications, and social networks.

The survey also highlights a growing interest in European digital sovereignty. 65% of respondents believe that companies on the continent should prioritize technologies developed in Europe. This demand appears more pronounced in the small and medium-sized enterprise segment: 66% consider it important for European SMEs to adopt local technological products and services rather than relying on U.S. solutions.

The origin of the technologies used seems to have a significant impact on business decisions as well. 80% of survey participants stated that the presence of European technological products and services influences at least partially their choice to do business with a company.

Compared to the previous year, 56% of respondents now place greater importance on the use of European technological infrastructures. According to many observers, this shift is linked to the geopolitical tensions of recent years, debates on privacy, and the increasing attention to Europe's dependence on non-European technology suppliers.

The study's results therefore indicate a growing interest in potential digital services developed in Europe, especially in areas where users consider the confidentiality of communications and control over personal information essential.