More than 130 university staff members are calling on the UG to reduce its dependence on Big Tech. They are also demanding a clear plan to achieve that goal within three years.
The heavy reliance of universities on services provided by Google, Microsoft, and Amazon has been a topic of discussion for some time. Five years ago, the rectores magnifici already raised concerns, but the situation has only worsened since then.
Now, the risks of this dependence are becoming starkly apparent, say data specialists Oskar Gstrein and Titus Stahl from the UG. They launched a petition and an open letter – hosted by an independent French company – urging the university board to take action.
Similar initiatives are underway at other Dutch universities, such as Utrecht and Nijmegen. ‘We have been relying on mutual trust and conventions in these matters’, says Stahl. ‘But that trust has now completely eroded.’
Data storage
All data within the UG environment is hosted by American companies. Email and data storage is handled via Google. Brightspace uses Amazon’s cloud services. This means the US government can access that data, even if it’s stored in Europe.
The so-called Cloud Act of 2018 makes this possible if access is deemed to be in the national interest. ‘But with the current US government, everything is a national security issue’, says Gstrein.
Another issue is the risk of data transfer being interrupted. If the US government suddenly decided to block access, it could bring operations at European universities to a standstill.
There’s also the possibility that the EU might ban the use of these platforms if the US fails to uphold data agreements. ‘For many people, this used to be quite abstract, but now everyone can imagine a very specific and concrete scenario’, says Stahl.
No clear mandate
They believe universities must reduce their dependence on Big Tech. And it is possible: universities in countries like Germany and France are far less dominated by Big Tech than those in the Netherlands. ‘Here, it’s basically 100 percent’, says Stahl.
Although the issue is on the UG’s radar, not enough is being done. ‘There is not a clear mandate from the leadership of the university to really move in that direction and make it possible’, says Gstrein. ‘That is the problem.’
Time and money
He acknowledges that the university cannot change overnight. Such a shift takes time, money, and collaboration with other institutions. But by getting the process started now, the UG can be prepared if things take a turn for the worse.
‘Ultimately, it’s not a question of resources, but of what kind of organisation you want to be’, says Gstrein. ‘You’re either more efficient in terms of money spending, or you’re less dependent in terms of your values and academic freedom.’
You can read the open letter and sign the petition here.