The Dutch government has halted the acquisition of Solvinity, the company that manages DigiD, by the US-based Kyndryl. The reason is that the US Cloud Act allows its authorities to access data from American companies, regardless of where the servers are located. This would expose the data of millions of citizens when using public services.
The Shadow of the Cloud Act on Digital Sovereignty 🛡️
DigiD is the digital key to access taxes, healthcare, and other services in the Netherlands. With the acquisition, Kyndryl would have become subject to the Cloud Act, which forces US companies to hand over data stored abroad if their government requests it. The blockade is a technical and legal precedent: it shows that foreign ownership of critical infrastructure can compromise citizens' privacy, even with local servers.
Don't Let Them Sell You a Dream with the Cloud 🚲
Basically, if you buy a company that holds your data, Uncle Sam can ask for the keys even if you're in Amsterdam. It's like renting a safe in your house and giving a copy to the neighbor across the pond. In the end, digital sovereignty is like privacy: if you don't protect it, someone will use it to check your tax returns while having breakfast.