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US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

reuters.com

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Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#121

Post by forgotaccount3 »

delecti wrote: post #67
embedding-shape wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're not in the EU, what even is the impact on you that was caused by GDPR? You're essentially not affected by it unless you run a business, which now you need to take greater care of the personal data you store. Is that what's annoying you or what?

The EU is to blame for cookie banners on basically every website on the internet. I wish the US had something similar, and that there was more enforcement of disallowing "accept all" buttons without an equivalent "reject all" option. I also recognize that websites don't need the banner if they aren't trying to track me, but lets not pretend there aren't annoying consequences.

> I also recognize that websites don't need the banner if they aren't trying to track me

And I recognize that there is a non-trivial cost to knowing if you need the banner or not, and people are likely to ask their web designer/dev "Hey, where's the cookie banner?" and then pay for the subsequent cost of implementing that because it's cheaper than expensive lawyers.

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#122

Post by filoleg »

TitaRusell wrote: post #96
orwin wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US 'diplomats' are campaigns big donors, or primary supports. I've eaten with someone who expected to be named diplomat in Europe because he supported Obama by 2007, but was one-uped by a richer donor post-primary.

Nobody in America noticed this but lately US ambassadors are going out of their way to insult and undermine the nations that they're posted in.

Is there any evidence of this being an actual pattern? I cannot speak for the rest of the americans, but I, personally, haven’t noticed it because it didn’t seem to be the case to me at all.

Asking because from my perception over the past 12 months, US ambassadors got more friendly and cordial with some countries (e.g., Japan[0]/Taiwan/South Korea[1]) and less cordial with others (e.g., certain european countries, like UK, that attempt to [imo unjustly] press american businesses that don’t even have any business presence within their jurisdiction).

0. U.S. Ambassador George Glass participated in remarks emphasizing the “new golden age” of U.S.-Japan relations, underlining partnership. (https://jp.usembassy.gov/ambassador-glass-remarks-at-yomiuri...)

1. The U.S. signed Technology Prosperity Deals with both Japan and South Korea in late 2025, advancing shared technology and innovation goals. (https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/10/the-united-state...)

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#123

Post by [deleted] »

game_the0ry wrote: post #82
Tyrubias wrote: post #12

I can’t imagine how any country would think the US is trustworthy enough to be the place where everyone stores their data. If companies cannot comply with data sovereignty laws then they shouldn’t exist at all. Personally, even as a US citizen, I’m hoping tech companies in Europe and Asia become independent enough to no longer be beholden to US interests. It’s clear that the era where any one country has global hegem…

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[deleted]

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#124

Post by disgruntledphd2 »

alephnerd wrote: post #83
llm_nerd wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Much of the capital is US originated and domiciled. Neither of your citations has any relevance to this at all. That endowments and pensions funds have money...what is your point? Ah, the old HN "look I've provided citations so upvote me, even if they don't support my contention". Canadians alone hold almost $4 trillion dollars in US securities. Because the US was the centre of the capital universe. Just like we saw…

It's to highlight the depth of capital within the US. When we in the VC/PE space raise a fund, we are investing other people's money. Most of that money is of American origin and American domiciled. You do see some large players like in Canada and Europe, but even they are not similar in size to American pension funds and endowments, let alone other American institutional investors. Edit: Can't reply > these will oft…

> You do see some large players like in Canada and Europe, but even they are not similar in size to American pension funds and endowments, let alone other American institutional investors.

Look, I haven't dug into this, but if one wants a fair comparison, then you need to account for the size of an economy. If 330mn people need pensions, then you'll obviously see much larger pension funds. If 400mn people across 27 countries want pensions, these will often end up being national level and will look individually much smaller than the ones from the US, purely because the US has more people.

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#125

Post by surgical_fire »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #65
yolo3000 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure it's just 'this administration'? I don't think the memory of America as a bully will go away soon, regardless of who comes into power.

> don't think the memory of America as a bully will go away It won't. But going digitally sovereign will cost Europe tens of billions of euros. If there is a friendly race on the other side of the Atlantic, that will not mean the memories go away. But the urgency of the initiative is certainly sapped.

> But going digitally sovereign will cost Europe tens of billions of euros.

That will be spent in Europe, improving the economy of member states.

Certainly much better than just sending that money to the US.

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#126

Post by JohnFen »

bsoles wrote: post #53
llm_nerd wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This administration really, truly lives under the delusion that they hold "all the cards". In every engagement they think it is for them to dictate and everyone else to follow. Any graciousness they show is just kind benevolence. And the "diplomats" of this administration is a rogues gallery of Epstein associates (e.g. pedophile sex-trafficking garbage) and self-dealing criminals. Just a who's-who of garbage. They ar…

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” - Trump Just replace Mexico with America. There must be some Freudian issue going on with Trump here.

Every accusation this administration makes is a confession.

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#127

Post by meffmadd »

As an EU citizen I really hope we can gain some meaningful distance to the US asap. I hope my leaders feel the same. And if everything works out I think this will be great for the EU.

This is really some sort of diplomatic Streisand effect. If the US would not have been so aggressive and just string us along they could have continued to feed us their slop indefinitely without us noticing.

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#128

Post by sensanaty »

game_the0ry wrote: post #82
Tyrubias wrote: post #12

I can’t imagine how any country would think the US is trustworthy enough to be the place where everyone stores their data. If companies cannot comply with data sovereignty laws then they shouldn’t exist at all. Personally, even as a US citizen, I’m hoping tech companies in Europe and Asia become independent enough to no longer be beholden to US interests. It’s clear that the era where any one country has global hegem…

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> Or the US where even the mainstream media can challenge the president?

The same US that was banning reporters from the press secretary's office (this isn't even new to Trump, Clinton also tried to pull the same shit back in the day)? The one where people were denied their entry visas because of memes of JD Vance? Where the white house has an official list of "Media Offenders"[0]?

Also we can't really ignore the US actively turning extremely hostile and talking about annexing territory belonging to its ex-allies when discussing things like this. That by itself makes the case pretty obvious for anyone, because why would you do business with a nation led by a sub-zero IQ petulant dementia patient that actively threatens annexation?

> Europe...where they throw people in jail for social media posts?

People in some EU Countries (Because "Europe" is a continent that encompasses many different countries with different laws and regulations, including EU and non-EU ones with very different laws and regulations. Denmark and Hungary could not be further from one another in pretty much every regard, for example) have been arrested for posts on social media, but who has actually been jailed for this? Where does this claim even come from, is it just a weird hope from USA-ians so they can portray "Europe" as some sort of free speech hell where you can't say anything without big brother knocking on the door?

To be abundantly clear I don't support people even getting arrested for the dumb shit they say online, but no one's going to prison because of this (that I'm aware of anyway).

Here in the Netherlands, the favorite pass time of most people was shitting on Rutte when he was PM, not to mention Geert and the absolute clown show that his cabinet was. The King and royal family in general gets shit all the time from every side of the political spectrum. Nobody has even been arrested here (as far as I know anyways, could be wrong) for that kind of speech. Notice how I'm not quivering in fear of talking shit about my government?

[0] https://www.whitehouse.gov/mediabias/

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#129

Post by johnsimer »

Vasbarlog wrote: post #85
game_the0ry wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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> Europe...where they throw people in jail for social media posts? What do you think when they find out peoples' private convos? When did this happen?

Germany – Robert Habeck insult raids (2024–2025): Multiple citizens faced police raids, investigations, fines, or suspended sentences (jail risk if violated) for online posts calling Green politician Robert Habeck derogatory names like "idiot" or "moron," or sharing mocking memes, under Section 188 enhancing penalties for insulting politicians. https://www.dw.com/en/germany-greens-habeck-presses-charges-...

Germany – Friedrich Merz "Pinocchio" case (2025–2026): A pensioner faced criminal investigation (potential fine or jail under Section 188) for a Facebook post calling Chancellor Friedrich Merz "Pinocchio," prosecuted as an insult likely to impair a politician's public duties. https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/dozens-of-police-te...

Germany – Ricarda Lang insult investigation (2024–2025): A citizen was investigated (potential fine/jail) for an online post calling politician Ricarda Lang "fat," charged as criminal insult under Section 185 protecting officials from derogatory remarks. https://nypost.com/2025/02/21/world-news/germans-cant-insult...

There are UK examples too

Re: US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives

#130

Post by disgruntledphd2 »

joe_mamba wrote: post #111
kyboren wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When the US is a rogue, isolated idiocracy This reads like wishful thinking from a butthurt European. I am not a fan of many of Trump's policies and I think ex-US investor sentiment has definitely soured. But it's not like the USA is now DPRK. > how much of that money do you think will flow to the US? If there's one thing you can be sure of about aggregate investor behavior, it's that investors seek good risk-adjus…

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> This. Companies like Nvidia, Google et-al and investors, don't care about and won't leave the US over morals, they'll go and stay where the money is good as long as it lasts. Trying to lecture them about morals from the EU won't change this. Otherwise they wouldn't be using slave labor in Congo and sweatshop labor in China.

Nobody will leave over morals (well except possibly the Norweigan sovereign wealth fund), but it's worth noting that for non-dollar investors, the US markets have basically been flat since the start of 2025, because the dollar has declined.

It's entirely possible that the US no longer takes in more global capital, if this continues. It's very unlikely that all the foreign investors will leave quicker, but it's much more likely that they'll leave as they sell their investments over time.

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