Podcast: We are too dependent on American tech companies
In the podcast series “The story behind the story,” our editors look back on stories they wrote in 2025.
Published on December 18, 2025
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Our DATA+ expert, Elcke Vels, explores AI, cyber security, and Dutch innovation. Her "What if..." column imagines bold scenarios beyond the norm.
Every day, the editors at IO+ are busy publishing stories. But which stories from 2025 really made an impact? Welcome to our mini podcast series The story behind the story, in which Elcke Vels talks to the editors at IO+. Each editor chooses a story that he or she wrote this year. Today, the founder and editor Merien ten Houten. He wrote: 7 European alternatives to Outlook and Gmail.
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Merien, what is your story about?
“In Europe, we are very dependent on American big tech; on companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. That dependence has always been a concern, because your information is stored in another country, under that country's legislation. The CLOUD Act causes even more problems. That law says that American intelligence services can access your information without you knowing.”
Do you think it's important for Europeans to think more carefully about alternatives?
“Yes, especially when it comes to confidential communications, you don't want to use American services. For companies, universities, and governments—organizations that work with sensitive data—it's simply not wise.”
Do you have an example of how problematic it can be to depend on services outside Europe?
“Suppose you're a journalist and you email sources in Palestine about Israel and Palestine. That contact is via Gmail. Later, you apply for an ESTA to enter the US, and they simply say no. Because they don't trust your contacts. That's not hypothetical; it's already happening. And it's only about metadata – who you email, not even what you write.”
How do you deal with this yourself as a journalist?
“My email is really personal. I've been running my own mail server for about thirty years. It's here in the meter cupboard. I also have a thirty-year email archive. I don't want that stored somewhere in America.”
Your story about email is part of a series on European alternatives to American services. What other services do you cover?
“A recent episode was about CRM systems. Many companies use Salesforce. It's a fantastic product, technically very good. But there are also European alternatives. Navigation is another European strength. TomTom is based here in the Netherlands. So there are opportunities in Europe. This isn't a series of complaints, but a series that shows what we can do.”