Large majorities of consumers in the UK, Germany, and France believe their countries have become dependent on US tech companies, and more than 8 out of 10 are concerned about that dependence, according to a Proton survey of 3,000 people across the three countries. 

The survey builds upon previous Proton research that found that 74% of publicly listed companies in Europe used US-based services like Google and Microsoft for their email, and potentially other bundled services like cloud storage or messaging. 

Taken together, the data highlights the continent’s deep economic dependence on companies, and a government that many people increasingly feel do not have Europe’s best interests at heart.

Many respondents want to switch to local alternatives that protect their personal information, are governed by European law, and give them a greater sense of control. Our survey found that:

  • 73% of Europeans believe their societies are far too dependent on US tech companies. And among these, 83% said they’re concerned about this dependence.
  • 54% of Europeans who follow the news are more likely to prefer European alternatives to US digital services, suggesting that recent geopolitical tensions influence their attitudes.
  • Reasons for preferring European tech alternatives vary, but stronger data privacy protections are the most important factor in all three countries surveyed. About 66% said security against hacking and fraud motivated them.

Companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft store and control the data that powers people’s businesses, mediates their commerce, and structures their lives. In response to US tech’s continued privacy and competition violations, Europeans are increasingly taking control of their digital lives and moving towards alternative European tech solutions. 

We’ve seen these attitudes reflected in consumers’ actual behavior: Proton user adoption and signups have significantly increased right across Europe. Following threats to invade Greenland, Proton has also seen an increase of nearly 80% in signups for Proton Mail and Proton Drive across the Nordic countries. In Denmark, Proton signups have increased by more than 100%. 

Other recent news headlines have accented the perception of US tech as risky. Late last year, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court lost access to his Microsoft inbox(ventana nueva), following President Trump’s sanctions on the ICC. Khan moved to Proton Mail to resume his work, but international relations remain strained. This and other episodes have amplified calls to pursue European tech sovereignty and to build a EuroStack(ventana nueva).

Our survey sought to understand how recent developments are shaping the views of everyday Europeans toward US tech.

Resistance to US tech is growing 

  • 65% of German respondents believe Europe is very or extremely dependent on US technology companies, with 90% expressing concern about this dependence
  • 80% of French respondents believe Europe is very or extremely dependent on US technology companies, with 85% expressing concern about this dependence
  • 74 % of British respondents believe Europe is very or extremely dependent on US technology companies, with 74% expressing concern about this dependence

Europeans are concerned about their overreliance on American tech companies. Many factors influence this concern, but the US tech industry’s consistent failure to comply with data protection laws and consumer expectations has not gone unnoticed. 

Transatlantic tensions affect European sentiment

  • 53% of German respondents who follow the news say they are more likely to prefer European digital services.
  • 56% of French respondents of those who follow the news state that growing tensions between the US and Europe motivate them to prefer European services.
  • 55% British respondents who have been following the ongoing news state that the news cycle has made them more likely to prefer European services.

Years of turbulent relations between the US and Europe have led to increased interest in investing in European services. In our survey, 57% of British, 70% of Germans, and 71% of French would prefer to use apps and services based in Europe if they were of equal pricing, usability, and features to their US-based alternatives. 

Why do they want European tech alternatives? There’s a clear correlation between following the news and seeking to ditch US tech, with nearly 55% saying they’re motivated by growing tensions between the US and Europe.

Spurred by initiatives such as EuroStack(ventana nueva), there’s a growing movement to invest in Europe’s tech industry and decrease reliance on US platforms. Adopting European tech is not only an economic decision, but a patriotic one. For example, the French government announced(ventana nueva) it will cease using Zoom and Teams by 2027. Last year, the EU issued a Declaration for European Digital Sovereignty(ventana nueva), aiming to “strengthen Europe’s ability to be able to regulate its digital infrastructure, data and technologies”.

Tech sovereignty has become more attractive to Europeans and their governments because it represents both autonomy and a chance to build a new European tech stronghold. 

Security concerns drive resistance to US tech

  • 67% of German respondents, 70% of British respondents and 61% of French respondents said that security against hacking and fraud is extremely important.
  • 55% of German respondents, 60% of British respondents and 59% of French respondents said that privacy protections are extremely important.

Following years of data misuse from legacy Big Tech companies, including Microsoft(ventana nueva), OpenAI(ventana nueva) and Meta(ventana nueva), consumer confidence has plummeted. Magazines repeatedly publish advice on how to avoid US tech(ventana nueva) and why it’s a good idea. Consumer interest in these topics has led to services such as European Alternatives(ventana nueva) that make it easy to shop for European tech. 

Public policy around data protection is a major factor in these perceptions. The difference between US and European laws is striking. In the US, a federal law called the CLOUD Act gives authorities the right to access European data stored using American apps or services, even if that data resides in the EU. Warrantless surveillance in the US is commonplace. 

These laws directly conflict with Europe’s GDPR. If a European business complies with a US order, it risks breaching GDPR; but if it refuses to comply, it faces legal action from the US. (There is no federal law in the US that generally protects personal data from hackers or misuse.)

European governments are also increasingly concerned about just how easy it would be for the US to shut off Europeans’ access to services. At the Open Source Policy Summit 2026, Finnish MEP Aura Salla summed up this concern(ventana nueva) concisely: “The EU runs on Microsoft. The US could turn us off inside one hour.”

Europeans demand control over their future 

In the UK:

  • 55% of respondents want stronger data privacy protections
  • 52% of respondents want greater trust in how personal data is handled
  • 47% want data stored under European laws

In Germany:

  • 44% of respondents want stronger data privacy protections
  • 43% want data stored under European laws
  • 37% of respondents want greater trust in how personal data is handled

In France:

  • 54% of respondents want stronger data privacy protections
  • 53% of respondents want to support the European economy and employment
  • 49% want data stored under European laws

Overall, the findings show that Europeans want privacy, accountability, and control. Across all three countries, consumers overwhelmingly favor stronger protections for their personal information, reflecting fears about hackers, AI training, and leaks. 

Beyond privacy alone, they want to be governed by their own laws, not laws dictated from Washington. They want their tech purchases creating local jobs and bolstering their own economies, not enriching American shareholders. Europeans want to be able to choose their own destiny — not just for their personal data but for their corporate landscape and their economy. 

Investing in European tech has never been easier 

Proton has been at the forefront of the push for investing in European tech for years. Breaking reliance on US tech means providing tools of equal, if not better, quality which is why we’ve worked to build an ecosystem that meets the needs of everyday tech users. 

As a Swiss company funded by the public, not Big Tech investors, Proton provides the privacy-first tools that we know European consumers and governments need. Everything from an end-to-end encrypted email service to a private AI chatbot is available for citizens, governments, and businesses alike. 

If Europe chooses to break away from US tech, investing in a European tech stack will be the key to ending decades of unnecessary overreliance. Proton will continue to advocate for this investment with our European tech sovereignty watch initiative. You can find out more information on Europe’s dependence on the US and the growing importance of digital sovereignty here.