German tech groups to launch digital independence days to curb US platform dominance

A leading hacker organization, German digital rights groups, and tech companies have announced they will begin organizing “digital independence days” in 2026 to help users transition away from US tech platforms.

Announcing the initiative at its annual conference over the weekend, the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) stated the project aims to reduce the “stranglehold” of US tech companies on Europe, which it claims is “harming democracy.”

The CCC, known for its powerful and often critical stances on digital policy, linked this initiative to rising transatlantic tensions regarding technology regulation.

It specifically pointed to the European Commission’s recent 120 million euro fine imposed on Elon Musk’s X and the travel bans the US applied to several European figures, including former Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.

“This is no longer about a single platform; it is about the impact on public debate, democratic processes, and the European rule of law,” the CCC wrote. Arguing that public authorities have so far been reluctant to leave X, the organization stated that individual users must lead by example by moving away from US-owned services.

To assist them, a coalition of public figures, digital rights groups, and European companies will organize monthly “digital independence days.”

CCC members at local branches across Germany will help users switch their browsers from Google Chrome to Firefox, for example, or migrate from X to Mastodon, a decentralized social media network operated by Europe.

Mastodon, the German search engine Ecosia, and cloud and office suite provider Nextcloud are also participating in organizing the “digital independence” initiative.