Jabber/XMPP: 25 Years of Digital Independence
This article explores the concept of digital sovereignty, arguing that Europe should prioritize collective ownership of digital infrastructure rather than relying on American corporations. It draws parallels between physical infrastructure like water and roads and the digital services that underpin modern society.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing geopolitical debate over digital independence and the risks of corporate control over essential communication platforms.
“We should own our infrastructure.” A lot of people would instinctively nod in agreement with that statement. Yet who “we” refers to shifts depending on the type of infrastructure. Highways, railways, bridges, and ports require nation-scale efforts. The water supply is usually put into the hands of municipalities. And the desire to own infrastructure goes down to a much smaller level: Owning your home is a dream for many—though such ownership doesn’t necessarily have to be organized on an individual level. Instead, cooperatives or city-owned housing 1 can provide similar benefits.
China’s neo-colonialism, which manifests, among other things, as building and buying infrastructure in sovereign nations, is rightly criticized by many. Not selling your water supply to Nestlé is a universally accepted principle, and landlords are one of the most hated classes.
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