Europeans are gradually realizing that they have been duped, that there can be no technological power without protecting start-ups from foreign direct investment and subsidizing a homegrown digital ecosystem. Disruptive innovations present too many risks to come from the private sector alone. European leaders have therefore had to accept, for better or worse, this symbiotic proximity between Silicon Valley and American state power, through such items as Elon Musk’s participation in the U.S. administration, or Mark Zuckerberg’s changes in Meta’s moderation policy to make it more compatible with Donald Trump’s line. None of this is to mention the president’s constant threats of retaliation against the European Union and other jurisdictions for their digital regulation policies.
~ Baptiste Detombe via American Affairs

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