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Software and cloud services have entered the infrastructure stage. I don't think it matters who writes the software. Governments should mandate the infrastruct

Software and cloud services have entered the infrastructure stage. I don't think it matters who writes the software. Governments should mandate the infrastructure be hosted and operated locally by people accountable to the host nation (the operators would pay for the software, perhaps a subsiduary or whatever). It should require a Netherlands court to deprive an institute located in the Hague of its infrastructure. This means bringing "big regulation" like we have for the electrical network (and the physical internet!) to the cloud. It would be tricky to draft since we'd still want to support the millions of small providers who, unlike Microsoft, you wouldn't describe as infrastructure.

MarceliusK 1y ago
I like the comparison to the electrical grid. We don't care where the generators were made, but we sure care who runs the switches.
- Gud 1y ago
  You absolutely should care where the generator is made. Good luck sourcing your replacement components from a hostile nation.
cyanydeez 1y ago
Youre talking about utilities. And yes, letting foreign adversaries provide utilities is a security risk. Unfortunately, current citizens have been awash in the notion that capitalism needs supersede government secirity.
belter 1y ago
https://nltimes.nl/2025/05/20/microsofts-icc-email-block-triggers-dutch-concerns-dependence-us-tech https://nltimes.nl/2025/05/20/microsofts-icc-email-block-tri... "Government agencies operate on Microsoft systems, hire employees with Microsoft expertise, and those employees, in turn, continue recommending Microsoft. “There’s political pressure, but in practice, all they know is Microsoft,” the same person said. Marietje Schaake, a technology policy expert and author of The Tech Coup, said Microsoft has strategically positioned itself as the go-to government partner. “The Netherlands has long been transatlantic in orientation and gives commercial parties a lot of space,” Schaake told de Volkskrant. She also pointed to a revolving door between Microsoft and government institutions."

MarceliusK 1y ago

I like the comparison to the electrical grid. We don't care where the generators were made, but we sure care who runs the switches.

Gud 1y ago
You absolutely should care where the generator is made. Good luck sourcing your replacement components from a hostile nation.

cyanydeez 1y ago

Youre talking about utilities. And yes, letting foreign adversaries provide utilities is a security risk. Unfortunately, current citizens have been awash in the notion that capitalism needs supersede government secirity.

belter 1y ago

https://nltimes.nl/2025/05/20/microsofts-icc-email-block-triggers-dutch-concerns-dependence-us-tech https://nltimes.nl/2025/05/20/microsofts-icc-email-block-tri... "Government agencies operate on Microsoft systems, hire employees with Microsoft expertise, and those employees, in turn, continue recommending Microsoft. “There’s political pressure, but in practice, all they know is Microsoft,” the same person said. Marietje Schaake, a technology policy expert and author of The Tech Coup, said Microsoft has strategically positioned itself as the go-to government partner. “The Netherlands has long been transatlantic in orientation and gives commercial parties a lot of space,” Schaake told de Volkskrant. She also pointed to a revolving door between Microsoft and government institutions."