UK Digital Rights Group Calls on Government to Reduce Reliance on US Big Tech for Critical Infrastructure
Open Rights Group urges inclusion of a digital sovereignty strategy in the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill to address dependence on US cloud and software providers
The Open Rights Group (ORG), a UK digital rights organisation, has issued a public appeal urging the United Kingdom government to reduce the nation’s reliance on American technology giants for core digital infrastructure, framing the issue as one of national security and technological sovereignty.
In a briefing and press release coinciding with the second reading of the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill in the House of Commons this week, ORG argued that widespread dependency on US-based companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Palantir creates vulnerabilities for essential public and private services that could be exploited by foreign political or legal pressures.
The group’s platform power programme manager posed a stark question to policymakers on how the UK can ensure the security and resilience of critical digital systems if they remain fundamentally dependent on foreign suppliers.
ORG’s intervention highlights examples it sees as indicative of strategic fragility, including past incidents where major providers were allegedly influenced by external geopolitical actions, and emphasises that technically secure infrastructure can still be vulnerable if subject to foreign law or political interference.
The organisation has recommended that the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill be amended to require a comprehensive digital sovereignty strategy that would assess risks such as supplier withdrawal, restrictions on data access under foreign legal regimes, and disruptions stemming from sanctions or trade disputes.
It also advocates for prioritising interoperable and open-source systems to diversify the UK’s digital supply base and increase opportunities for domestic firms, including small and medium-sized enterprises, to bid for government technology contracts.
The call has added momentum to wider debates among UK technologists and policymakers about the country’s digital autonomy amid prolonged reliance on hyperscale cloud service providers.
Industry figures have previously noted that UK IT systems are increasingly intertwined with US cloud infrastructure, prompting some to seek alternative strategies.
ORG’s proposal situates digital sovereignty alongside other national security concerns, pressing Parliament to use current legislative opportunities to bolster the UK’s strategic control over its own technological foundations and reduce exposure to decisions made beyond Westminster’s jurisdiction.
In a briefing and press release coinciding with the second reading of the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill in the House of Commons this week, ORG argued that widespread dependency on US-based companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Palantir creates vulnerabilities for essential public and private services that could be exploited by foreign political or legal pressures.
The group’s platform power programme manager posed a stark question to policymakers on how the UK can ensure the security and resilience of critical digital systems if they remain fundamentally dependent on foreign suppliers.
ORG’s intervention highlights examples it sees as indicative of strategic fragility, including past incidents where major providers were allegedly influenced by external geopolitical actions, and emphasises that technically secure infrastructure can still be vulnerable if subject to foreign law or political interference.
The organisation has recommended that the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill be amended to require a comprehensive digital sovereignty strategy that would assess risks such as supplier withdrawal, restrictions on data access under foreign legal regimes, and disruptions stemming from sanctions or trade disputes.
It also advocates for prioritising interoperable and open-source systems to diversify the UK’s digital supply base and increase opportunities for domestic firms, including small and medium-sized enterprises, to bid for government technology contracts.
The call has added momentum to wider debates among UK technologists and policymakers about the country’s digital autonomy amid prolonged reliance on hyperscale cloud service providers.
Industry figures have previously noted that UK IT systems are increasingly intertwined with US cloud infrastructure, prompting some to seek alternative strategies.
ORG’s proposal situates digital sovereignty alongside other national security concerns, pressing Parliament to use current legislative opportunities to bolster the UK’s strategic control over its own technological foundations and reduce exposure to decisions made beyond Westminster’s jurisdiction.
