- 8 out of 10 Europeans say they do not trust US or Chinese data handling
- Europeans are more likely to trust their own government than foreign companies
- The desire for homemade alternatives is increasing
Over 8 in 10 Europeans do not trust US or Chinese tech companies to handle their data properly, a new Politico European Pulsepoll has found.
European distrust of Chinese technology and companies is long-standing, largely due to fears that the Chinese government could force companies to hand over user data for nefarious purposes.
But the same sentiment has grown for American tech companies, prompting Europeans to seek out domestic alternatives to software typically dominated by American companies.
The article continues below
Europe craves homegrown technology
The survey, which surveyed citizens from Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Italy and Poland, found that 84% of respondents do not trust US tech companies to handle their data responsibly, and that number rises to 93% when asked the same about Chinese tech companies.
When it comes to domestic trust, 45% of respondents said they trust their own national government with their data, while just over half (51%) said they trust European technology companies to handle their data responsibly. Belgians were the most likely to trust European companies, with 59% believing that EU companies would handle their data responsibly.
The most distrusted foreign technology companies were the Germans, with 91% mistrusting American companies and 98% mistrusting Chinese companies. On the other hand, Poles were the most trusting among American companies (38%) and Chinese companies (20%).
The European Union (EU) is highly protective of its data. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets strict rules for how data from European users is handled by companies – including those based outside the EU. Companies handling European data that violate GDPR rules can face large fines, and refusal to pay can lead to legal action and operational bans.
The protections are so robust that President Donald Trump has branded EU rules “a form of taxation.” Trump recently ordered US diplomats to lobby against data rules, including GDPR, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling GDPR rules “unnecessarily burdensome data processing restrictions and cross-border data flow requirements” in an internal diplomatic cable.
The EU has acknowledged that some aspects of its data protection regulations, including the GDPR, have somewhat hampered European competitiveness and AI innovation, with proposals to water down the rules. On the other hand, European regulations remain far more robust than those in place in the US and China, whose authorities can compel companies to hand over user data.
The best password manager for all budgets
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can too follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
