The United Kingdom's deep integration into US-owned digital infrastructure has become a national security threat, according to a new report by the Open Rights Group (ORG).
In its latest publication, "Tech Giants and Giant Slayers," the advocacy group argues that years of reliance on American tech giants have left British critical infrastructure exposed to foreign political pressure.
According to theregister.com, the report highlights how US sanctions could be used as a weapon to cut off essential services. The group cited an instance where Microsoft allegedly shut down email and banking-related services for individuals targeted by US sanctions related to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"For years, a handful of Big Tech companies have used their power to gain control of the UK's digital infrastructure, locking the government into wasteful contracts and shaping tech policy in their favour," said Jim Killock, ORG's executive director.
Killock added that this overreliance is now both an "urgent national security issue as well as an economic threat."
Market control and policy influence
The report alleges that these corporations have gone beyond simple service provision to actively control markets and shape legislation. The group claims Big Tech firms have lobbied to halt AI regulation, weaken data protection laws, and blunt competition law to maintain their dominance.
Financial costs are also mounting. The Competition and Markets Authority reports that the UK overspends at least £500 million annually on cloud services alone.
Legal vulnerabilities persist due to extraterritorial laws. The report notes that the US CLOUD Act and China's National Intelligence Law can force companies to hand over data regardless of UK domestic privacy preferences.
Politicians from various parties have expressed alarm. Green Party's Sian Berry stated the UK must build more resilience to protect infrastructure from "the potential threat of sanctions and service withdrawal."
Labour's Clive Lewis echoed these concerns, stating that Big Tech firms have embedded themselves in public services, leaving the country "dangerously vulnerable."
Critics also pointed to recent government actions as evidence of worsening dependency, specifically citing the awarding of contracts to Palantir Technologies.
To mitigate these risks, the Open Rights Group advocates for a shift toward digital sovereignty through the use of open-source software and increased domestic capability.
"Public money should be spent on public code that benefits us all, rather than lining the pockets of Big Tech's shareholders," Killock said.
