In the heart of Berlin, a modest market stall run by charity Topio is seeing an unlikely surge in popularity. Volunteers there help users “de-Americanise” their smartphones—removing connections to dominant U.S. tech services like Google, Meta, and Microsoft. According to Topio’s founder, Michael Wirths, the clientele has shifted from privacy purists to politically aware citizens.
“Before, it was people who knew a lot about data privacy. Now it’s people who are politically aware and feel exposed,” said Wirths.
The surge in demand is part of a broader trend across Europe, driven by disillusionment with the United States' political direction under President Donald Trump’s second term. Since his inauguration in January, European interest in alternative digital services—especially those based on the continent—has spiked.
Trump’s Second Term Fuels European Doubts
Several early moves by the Trump administration have rattled Europe’s political and digital confidence. From scaling back security commitments to launching a fresh trade war and placing U.S. tech bosses at the center of his political agenda, Trump’s presidency has prompted renewed calls for digital sovereignty — a movement pushing Europe to reduce dependence on American technology.
Vice President J.D. Vance’s fiery accusations against European censorship, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s threats of visa bans for regulators of U.S. platforms, have further widened the transatlantic digital divide.
“Ordinary people... are saying, ‘hang on!’” said Maria Farrell, a UK-based internet policy expert. “Even my hairdresser is asking what apps she should switch to.”
European Alternatives Gain Ground—But Still Face Giants
Data from Similarweb shows growing interest in platforms like Ecosia, the Berlin-based search engine that uses profits to plant trees. Its EU traffic rose 27% year-on-year, and ProtonMail, the Swiss encrypted email service, saw an 11.7% increase in European usage.
However, these numbers pale in comparison to Silicon Valley’s entrenched dominance. Google, for example, registered over 10.3 billion visits from the EU in February—dwarfing Ecosia’s 122 million.
Despite Ecosia's ethical appeal and tangible environmental efforts—like planting 1.1 million trees with April earnings of €770,000—its infrastructure still partially relies on major U.S. players, including Google and Microsoft for search results and hosting.
“The worse it gets, the better it is for us,” Ecosia founder Christian Kroll admitted, acknowledging how political instability boosts user migration.
Governments Take Action, but Complete Tech Independence Remains Elusive
Some European governments are also reacting. Germany’s coalition government has pledged increased reliance on open-source software and local cloud solutions. In the state of Schleswig-Holstein, all public IT systems must now run exclusively on open-source tools. Meanwhile, Berlin has opted to fund satellite internet for Ukraine via France’s Eutelsat, avoiding Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Still, experts warn full independence from U.S. digital infrastructure may be a “mission impossible.” The internet’s underlying architecture—such as push notifications, routing protocols, and content delivery networks—remains largely dependent on U.S. firms.
“Completely divorcing U.S. tech in a very fundamental way is, I would say, possibly not possible,” said Bill Budington of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The Market May Be Ready, But Regulation Is Crucial
Platforms like Mastodon and Signal have seen bursts of growth, especially after controversial moves by U.S. tech giants. However, they remain niche and largely symbolic without broader institutional support.
Grassroots movements, such as the BuyFromEU Reddit forum (211,000 members strong), show a growing community willing to switch to services like Proton Drive or Qwant, but the shift is incremental.
“The market is too captured,” digital rights activist Robin Berjon told Reuters. “Regulation is needed as well.”
As calls for digital sovereignty echo louder across the continent, Europe is at a crossroads: either remain tethered to U.S. tech power, or invest heavily—politically and economically—in building a truly independent digital ecosystem. The next few years may define which path it ultimately takes.