- 74% of Britons are concerned about Europe’s dependence on American apps and services
- 57% say they would switch to European alternatives when possible.
- Privacy misconceptions persist, says Proton
As geopolitical tensions between the United States and Europe dominate the headlines, the British are becoming increasingly cautious about their dependence on Silicon Valley. According to research published today by Swiss privacy company Proton, trust in US-based tech giants is eroding, paving the way for a shift towards “digital sovereignty.”
The survey of 1,000 UK respondents reveals that 76% have been following the recent political and economic frictions between the two regions. For 55% of those observers, the news cycle has directly increased their preference for European-made software over their American counterparts.
This is not just a theoretical concern. The data shows that 74% of Britons believe Europe is too reliant on American apps, and an equal percentage are concerned about that fact. Since data privacy is often legally different between the US and the UK/EU, users are realizing that where their data resides matters as much as what it contains.
Raphael Auphan, COO of Proton, the provider behind one of the best VPN and secure email services, believes the study highlights “a turning point.”
He said: “Recent geopolitical events are undermining trust in US-based platforms and reinforcing the perception that European solutions are necessary to ensure digital autonomy and data protection.”
The “privacy paradox”
Despite this growing skepticism, the survey highlights a dangerous gap between user perception and technical reality.
While 92% of respondents cited “security against hacking” and 88% cited “privacy protection” as their top priorities when choosing an app, many still don’t know how their current tools work.
Surprisingly, 57% of respondents incorrectly understand Gmail to be “very private” or “somewhat private.” This discrepancy is worrying, given that ad-supported platforms often rely on data scanning to function, while services like Proton Mail use end-to-end encryption to ensure that not even the service provider can access the content of communications.
If the appetite for change is great, why haven’t more people jumped ship? The biggest obstacle is simply knowing where to go. The research found that 67% of respondents had not heard of European alternatives to common applications such as email services and cloud storage.
Comfort also plays an important role. 40% of users admitted that they are simply “too used” to their current services, while 24% fear that the change will take too long.
However, the incentives to change are increasingly clear. Respondents indicated that greater data protection (55%) and greater trust in data processing (52%) were the main benefits that led them towards European technology.
The best European alternatives to American technology
If you’re part of the 57% looking to make a change but don’t know where to start, there’s a robust ecosystem of privacy-first tools created in Europe.
The most direct competitor in the Google ecosystem is Proton itself. With Proton Mail, Proton Drive, and Proton VPN, you get Swiss-based security, strictly no-logs, and end-to-end encrypted. For those who need secure email focused on ease of use, Germany-based Tuta is another great encrypted option.
To escape Chrome tracking, check out Mullvad Browser. Developed in collaboration with the Swedish VPN company Tor Project, it is designed to minimize tracking and fingerprinting. Icelandic browser Vivaldi also offers deep customization without the privacy-invasive practices of American tech giants.
Even artificial intelligence has European competitors. Proton recently launched a new privacy-focused AI chatbot that offers a secure alternative to ChatGPT.
For a broader view of what’s available, the European Alternatives directory tracks supported software across the continent.
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