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## Introduction
Independent technology—software and hardware developed outside corporate and government control, owned and operated by the people who use it—is essential to the flourishing of civil society in the digital age. As our social, political, and economic lives increasingly move online, the question of who controls these digital spaces has profound implications for democracy, individual autonomy, and collective well-being.
Independent technology is software and hardware developed outside corporate and government control, owned and operated by the people who use it. We are so accustomed to being dependent on commercial platforms and services that we fail to recognize the alternatives; however, independent technology is essential to the flourishing of civil society in the digital age. As our social, political, and economic lives increasingly move online, the question of who controls these digital spaces has profound implications for democracy, individual autonomy, and collective well-being.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) contends that truly independent technology is not just preferable but necessary for addressing the growing crises of digital rights, privacy, autonomy, and democratic participation. When technology serves its users rather than distant shareholders or state interests, it becomes a foundation for a more equitable, free, and resilient society.
The concentration of digital power in the hands of a few corporations and governments has reached a critical threshold where it now threatens the very foundations of civil society. This essay examines why independent technology matters, what's at stake, and how we can build toward digital self-determination.
## The Problem: Centralization of Digital Power
## The problem: centralization of digital power
Our digital infrastructure—from communication platforms to cloud computing services, from operating systems to artificial intelligence models—has become increasingly centralized under the control of a handful of global corporations and powerful states. This concentration creates systemic vulnerabilities and power imbalances that undermine individual autonomy and collective agency.
Our digital infrastructure--from communication platforms to cloud computing services, from operating systems to artificial intelligence models--has become increasingly centralized under the control of a handful of global corporations and powerful states. This concentration creates systemic vulnerabilities and power imbalances that undermine individual autonomy and collective agency.
### Corporate Capture
### Corporate capture
The corporate capture of our digital commons has proceeded rapidly, with alarming consequences:
The corporate capture of our digital commons has proceeded rapidly, with alarming consequences.
- **Infrastructure Consolidation**: Major technology companies have consolidated control over fundamental digital infrastructure, from cloud services to communication platforms. Just five companies—Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft—now control much of the infrastructure that powers our digital lives, creating unprecedented concentrations of power.
Major technology companies have consolidated control over fundamental digital infrastructure, from cloud services to communication platforms. Just five companies--Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft--now control much of the infrastructure that powers our digital lives, creating unprecedented concentrations of power.
- **Misaligned Incentives**: Commercial imperatives prioritize engagement, data collection, and profit over user well-being. When a service is "free," users become the product, with their attention and personal data monetized through surveillance-based advertising. As one tech executive famously noted, "If you're not paying for the product, you are the product."
Commercial imperatives prioritize engagement, data collection, and profit over user well-being. When a service is "free," users become the product, with their attention and personal data monetized through surveillance-based advertising. As one tech executive famously noted, "If you're not paying for the product, you are the product."
- **Extractive Relationships**: Platform monopolies create harmful dependencies and extract value from communities. Local businesses, independent creators, and civil society organizations increasingly rely on centralized platforms that extract fees, impose arbitrary rules, and can unilaterally change terms of service.
Platform monopolies create harmful dependencies and extract value from communities. Local businesses, independent creators, and civil society organizations increasingly rely on centralized platforms that extract fees, impose arbitrary rules, and can unilaterally change terms of service.
- **Artificial Scarcity**: Corporate technology creates artificial scarcity in what should be abundant digital resources. Digital goods can be replicated at near-zero marginal cost, yet subscription models, paywalls, and intellectual property regimes create artificial barriers to access and use.
Corporate technology creates artificial scarcity in what should be abundant digital resources. Digital goods can be replicated at near-zero marginal cost, yet subscription models, paywalls, and intellectual property regimes create artificial barriers to access and use.
- **Personalization as Control**: Algorithmic "personalization" becomes a mechanism for behavioral manipulation and preference shaping, optimizing for commercial outcomes rather than user agency or collective well-being. These systems are designed to maximize time spent, interaction, and consumption—not to enhance human flourishing.
Algorithmic "personalization" becomes a mechanism for behavioral manipulation and preference shaping, optimizing for commercial outcomes rather than user agency or collective well-being. These systems are designed to maximize time spent, interaction, and consumption, not to enhance human flourishing.
Our public messaging infrastructure should not be in the hands of any individual, such as Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, where a single person's whims can reshape the digital public sphere that billions of people rely on.
### Government Overreach
### Government overreach
As digital systems become central to civic life, governments have expanded their control in problematic ways:
As digital systems become central to civic life, governments have expanded their control in problematic ways.
- **Mass Surveillance**: State surveillance undermines civil liberties and democratic processes. The capabilities revealed by Edward Snowden and subsequent whistleblowers demonstrate how digital infrastructure has enabled unprecedented monitoring of citizens, activists, and journalists without appropriate democratic oversight.
_Government regulatory capture_ of technology often reinforces corporate power rather than constraining it. Complex regulatory frameworks crafted with industry input frequently protect incumbents while raising barriers to entry for smaller, independent alternatives.
- **Regulatory Capture**: Government regulation of technology often reinforces corporate power rather than constraining it. Complex regulatory frameworks crafted with industry input frequently protect incumbents while raising barriers to entry for smaller, independent alternatives.
Public services increasingly rely on proprietary technologies, creating long-term vulnerabilities within _overdependent relationships_. When governments outsource core functions to proprietary platforms, they sacrifice sovereignty and create risky dependencies that undermine democratic accountability.
- **Dependency Relationships**: Public services increasingly rely on proprietary technologies, creating long-term vulnerabilities. When governments outsource core functions to proprietary platforms, they sacrifice sovereignty and create risky dependencies that undermine democratic accountability.
_Mass state surveillance_ undermines civil liberties and democratic processes. The capabilities revealed by Edward Snowden and subsequent whistleblowers demonstrate how digital infrastructure has enabled unprecedented monitoring of citizens, activists, and journalists without appropriate democratic oversight.
- **Security State Expansion**: National security justifications often mask anti-democratic control mechanisms. The post-9/11 expansion of digital surveillance and the ongoing use of security arguments to justify technological control demonstrate how nominal protection can lead to substantial harm.
National security justifications often mask anti-democratic control mechanisms. The post-9/11 expansion of digital surveillance, the current expansion of surveillance technologies in response to civil protests of immigration enforcement, and the ongoing use of security arguments to justify technological control demonstrate how nominal protection can lead to substantial harm.
- **Corporate-State Alliances**: The line between corporate and state power blurs as they develop symbiotic relationships. Tech companies gain market access and regulatory advantages, while states gain access to data and infrastructure for surveillance and control.
The line between corporate and state power blurs as _corporate-state alliances_ develop. Tech companies gain market access and regulatory advantages, while states gain access to data and infrastructure for surveillance and control.
Government is too often compromised by corporate special interests, creating a cycle where those with the most resources shape both market and regulatory outcomes.
### Systemic Failures
### Systemic failures
These problems aren't just individual failures but represent systemic issues with how digital technology is currently structured:
These problems aren't just individual failures but represent systemic issues with how digital technology is currently structured.
- **Inequality Amplification**: Concentration of technological power amplifies existing social inequalities. Those with fewer resources have less privacy, less control, and are more vulnerable to exploitation in digital systems designed primarily for profit maximization.
Concentration of technological power _amplifies existing social inequalities_. Those with fewer resources have less privacy, less control, and are more vulnerable to exploitation in digital systems designed primarily for profit maximization.
- **Manipulation Incentives**: Ad-based business models incentivize psychological manipulation rather than service. The imperative to maximize "engagement" leads to the amplification of divisive, emotional content and the creation of addictive design patterns.
Ad-based business models incentivize _psychological manipulation_ rather than service. The imperative to maximize "engagement" leads to the amplification of divisive, emotional content and the creation of addictive design patterns.
- **Innovation Barriers**: Proprietary systems create artificial barriers to innovation and adaptation. When core technologies are locked behind patents, trade secrets, and closed interfaces, communities cannot adapt them to their specific needs or improve upon them.
Proprietary systems create _artificial barriers to innovation_ and adaptation. When core technologies are locked behind patents, trade secrets, and closed interfaces, communities cannot adapt them to their specific needs or improve upon them.
- **Infrastructure Vulnerabilities**: Critical infrastructure becomes vulnerable to both market and geopolitical forces. When essential digital services are controlled by profit-seeking entities or potentially hostile governments, they become points of leverage that can be exploited during conflicts or crises.
Critical _infrastructure becomes vulnerable_ to both market and geopolitical forces. When essential digital services are controlled by profit-seeking entities or potentially hostile governments, they become points of leverage that can be exploited during conflicts or crises.
- **Externalized Harms**: The costs of digital systems are often externalized onto users and society, from privacy violations to psychological harms to environmental impacts. These are treated as "external" to the core transaction, though they represent real and significant costs.
The _harms_ of digital systems are often _externalized_ onto users and society, from privacy violations to psychological harms to environmental impacts. These are treated as "external" to the core transaction, though they represent real and significant costs.
The structure of our digital infrastructure has evolved rapidly, without sufficient consideration of its impacts on civil society, democracy, and human flourishing. The consequence is a digital ecosystem that systematically extracts value from communities while undermining the conditions for collective agency.
## The Solution: Digital Self-Determination
## The solution: digital self-determination
In response to these challenges, we need a vision of digital self-determination—where individuals and communities can meaningfully control their technological destinies. This isn't merely a technical project but a social and political one, grounded in core principles that put human flourishing at the center of technological development.
### Core Principles of Independent Technology
### Core principles of independent technology
Independent technology is guided by principles that prioritize human agency and community well-being:
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- **Democratic Governance**: The rules, policies, and development priorities of digital systems should be determined through democratic processes. Those affected by technological systems should have a voice in how they function and evolve.
### Benefits to Civil Society
### Benefits to civil society
Independent technology creates substantial benefits for civil society organizations and the communities they serve:
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Most importantly, independent technology simply works better for the specific needs of civil society. The quality can be higher because it's designed for use rather than for market dominance or data extraction.
## The Path Forward: Building Digital Commons
## The path forward: building digital commons
Building viable alternatives to corporate-controlled technology requires both technical and social infrastructure. We need robust, accessible tools and the organizational structures to sustain them.
### Technical Foundations
### Technical foundations
The technical foundations of digital commons include:
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These technical elements aren't merely features but fundamental design principles that shape what technology can and cannot do, who it serves, and how power flows within digital systems.
### Social Foundations
### Social foundations
Technical infrastructure alone is insufficient; we also need social structures to support and sustain independent technology:
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The social dimension of independent technology is not secondary but fundamental to its success. Technical solutions divorced from community governance and capacity building will inevitably drift toward centralization and exploitation.
## Artificial Intelligence: A Critical Inflection Point
## Artificial intelligence: a critical inflection point
The rapid development of artificial intelligence represents both a profound challenge and a potential opportunity for digital self-determination. How AI evolves in the coming years will shape the balance of power in digital spaces for decades to come.
### The Challenge
### The challenge of AI
AI development currently reinforces centralization and inequality:
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These trends threaten to create a new era of technological dependency more profound than any we've seen before, where a few entities control the fundamental tools of knowledge work, cultural production, and computational reasoning.
### The Opportunity
### The opportunity of AI
Despite these challenges, AI also presents significant opportunities for digital self-determination:
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The path we choose with AI—toward further centralization or toward democratization—will significantly shape the future of digital self-determination. By supporting open, efficient, and community-governed approaches to AI, we can ensure that these powerful tools enhance rather than undermine human agency and collective well-being.
## Case Study: Wild Cloud
## Case study: Wild Cloud
The Civil Society Technology Foundation's [Wild Cloud project](/projects/wild-cloud/) exemplifies the principles of independent technology in practice. This reference implementation demonstrates how civil society organizations can regain digital sovereignty through practical, accessible tools.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation's [Wild Cloud project](/projects/wild-cloud/) exemplifies the principles of independent technology in practice. This reference implementation demonstrates how civil society can regain digital sovereignty through practical, accessible tools.
Wild Cloud provides:
Wild Cloud enables individuals, communities, and organizations to run their own email, calendar, file storage, website, and collaboration tools on infrastructure they control, reducing dependency on corporate platforms. Services under user control ensure sensitive information remains protected from surveillance and exploitation.
- **Self-Hosted Services**: Organizations can run their own email, calendar, file storage, website, and collaboration tools on infrastructure they control, reducing dependency on corporate platforms.
Despite the complexity of the underlying systems, simplified deployment tools make it feasible for organizations with limited technical capacity to set up and maintain their own infrastructure. A network of practitioners provides documentation, troubleshooting assistance, and ongoing development, ensuring that organizations aren't alone in their journey toward digital self-determination.
- **Privacy by Design**: All services prioritize data minimization, encryption, and user control, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected from surveillance and exploitation.
Wild Cloud services support open standards and federation protocols, allowing organizations to communicate with others while maintaining their autonomy and control. This practical approach to digital sovereignty demonstrates that independence from corporate platforms is not merely theoretical but achievable with current technology and modest resources. By making these tools more accessible and providing support for their adoption, we create pathways to broader digital self-determination.
- **Simplified Deployment**: Despite the complexity of the underlying systems, simplified deployment tools make it feasible for organizations with limited technical capacity to set up and maintain their own infrastructure.
- **Community Support**: A network of practitioners provides documentation, troubleshooting assistance, and ongoing development, ensuring that organizations aren't alone in their journey toward digital self-determination.
- **Federation**: All services support open standards and federation protocols, allowing organizations to communicate with others while maintaining their autonomy and control.
This practical approach to digital sovereignty demonstrates that independence from corporate platforms is not merely theoretical but achievable with current technology and modest resources. By making these tools more accessible and providing support for their adoption, we create pathways to broader digital self-determination.
## Conclusion: A Call to Action
## A call to action
The choice is not between technology and its absence, but between technology that serves its users and technology that serves other masters. Civil society requires digital tools that enhance rather than undermine its core values of autonomy, cooperation, and democratic governance.
Independent technology is not a luxury or a theoretical preference—it is a practical necessity for maintaining the conditions that make civil society possible. When our digital infrastructure is captured by commercial or state interests, the spaces for independent association, expression, and collective action narrow dangerously.
Independent technology is not a luxury or a theoretical preference, it is a practical necessity for maintaining the conditions that make civil society possible. When our digital infrastructure is captured by commercial or state interests, the spaces for independent association, expression, and collective action narrow dangerously.
By investing in independent technology, we create the possibility of digital spaces that reflect and reinforce the values of civil society rather than market or state power. This is not merely a technical challenge but a social and political imperative that requires both visionary thinking and practical action.
The path forward requires:
1. **Individual Action**: Moving personal and organizational data to self-hosted or community-governed platforms
2. **Collective Investment**: Supporting the development and maintenance of digital commons through funding, contribution, and advocacy
3. **Policy Reform**: Advancing regulatory frameworks that limit surveillance, protect privacy, and ensure interoperability
4. **Educational Initiatives**: Building technical literacy and capacity for digital self-determination
5. **Alternative Models**: Developing and demonstrating viable alternatives to the current dominant paradigms
1. **Individual Action**: Moving personal and organizational data to self-hosted or community-governed platforms.
2. **Collective Investment**: Supporting the development and maintenance of digital commons through funding, contribution, and advocacy.
3. **Policy Reform**: Advancing regulatory frameworks that limit surveillance, protect privacy, and ensure interoperability.
4. **Educational Initiatives**: Building technical literacy and capacity for digital self-determination.
5. **Alternative Models**: Developing and demonstrating viable alternatives to the current dominant paradigms.
An open Internet is a human right. Our digital commons—the shared spaces, tools, and resources that enable connection, creation, and collective action—must be protected from capture and enclosure, whether by corporate monopolies or authoritarian states.
An open Internet is a human right. Our digital commons must be protected from capture and enclosure, whether by corporate monopolies or authoritarian states.
The Civil Society Technology Foundation invites individuals, organizations, and communities to join in building and maintaining the digital commons our shared future requires. By reclaiming control over our technological infrastructure, we take a crucial step toward a more just, democratic, and flourishing society.