Concerns about digital dependence on the U.S. are the talk of the town, but the tone is fatalistic, Evelyn argued in an opinion piece in the Dutch newspaper NRC. This is unjustified: the Netherlands is full of digital talent.

Since the inauguration of Donald Trump, our digital autonomy, or lack thereof, seems to be all (part of) the Netherlands can think of. We are at the mercy of Big Tech (true), the U.S. can take us down digitally at any moment (likely), and something really needs to happen now (yes!). But while parliament is busy scheming, the Secretary of Defense is on a work visit to Amazon and Microsoft to learn about "bits and bytes," and the Ministry of Justice and Security is organizing citizen assemblies this summer on the risks of social media, citing an out-of-control Facebook party that happened in 2012 as an example (not a joke). The municipality of Amsterdam, in turn, sends out a flashy press release about its steps toward digital independence, but those who delve into the plans reads only that we might, partially, after explorations and investigations, possibly move away from Big Tech in the future.

It’s fatalism at its peak. Amsterdam's plan is the most striking, due to the total despondency it conveys. "Together with societal partners, we [the municipality, that is] are exploring how we can reduce our dependence on social media platforms and whether we can implement alternatives that still allow us to reach all Amsterdam residents."

Can you imagine a municipality that doesn’t know where its residents are? The relationship with Big Tech is like an abusive relationship where the losing party has been convinced that it cannot survive without the other. The municipality's press release does not particularly inspire decisive action but does make the necessity for action very clear. This cannot continue.

Wi-Fi was once invented by Cees Links and Vic Hayes, and Jaap Haartsen was at the forefront of Bluetooth. And yes, they're all Dutch. The first internet providers emerged very early on, and we have one of the largest internet exchanges in the world. With the rise of the internet, people in the Netherlands quickly became aware of its consequences for society. Starting in the 1990's, and within a few years time, the Dutch child exploitation hotline (Meldpunt Kinderporno) and digital rights organizations Bits of Freedom and European Digital Rights (EDRi) were established by concerned citizens who continue to make their mark on the internet and European tech policy today. Many of the people involved still play an important role in the Dutch internet sector.

Total nonsense

What's more, as cyber expert Marietje Schaake confirmed at the annual Big Brother Awards, a bizarre number of people in the Netherlands is actively engaged in the quality and fairness of our online lives. This was evident when we were hit by Covid. In no time, a government team, with the help of external technologists and experts, was working on developing the first Covid-app. A critical societal coalition safeguarded the public interest.

Meanwhile, the police are dismantling one crypto phone network after another, the .NL domain is one of the safest domains in the world thanks to the innovative capabilities of domain registry SIDN, and this week it was announced that a group of scientists led by TU Delft has made a significant step toward the quantum internet. "Europe, and particularly the Netherlands, is demonstrating with this operating system things that have never happened before in the world," said Professor Stephanie Wehner, who leads the team.

Never before in the world! Are you really trying to convince me that all of this is possible, but that our tech entrepreneurs cannot possibly host our email for us? Or that a municipality needs Elon Musk to bring something to the attention of its residents? Complete nonsense.

Last year, Van Dale, the leading dictionary in the Dutch language, included part of the famous saying from the cartoon chick Calimero in its dictionary: "They are big and I is little, and that's an injustice, it is." According to editor-in-chief Ton den Boon, the chick has made a "great career in the Dutch language," and especially the three words "I is little" are used frequently. Calimero could very well be the mascot of the Dutch internet sector, as we seem to identify so much with the chick that always feels smaller than it is.

The Netherlands has the money, expertise, innovation power, and now also the urgency to regain our digital autonomy. Now we just need to believe in ourselves in order to realize that future. A movement with the daring of Silicon Valley and the public values of the Netherlands. Tech entrepreneur Bert Hubert has already come up with the name: Cloud Kootwijk. Now we just need the rest. Let’s get to work!