Transitioning to a Culture of Digital Sovereignty
with …
Collectively Enabling or Disabling the Dominating Surveillance System
The need for this transition arises from a collective need for healthier digital practices amidst the widespread dominance of BigTech companies. For decades, users have relied on the seemingly convenient and cost-effective offerings of these tech giants to store emails, files, and and share media on social platforms.
However, events of recent years have shed light on the alarming consequences of this pattern. As Yanis Varoufakis aptly terms them, the ‘Techno-Feudals’ exert an increasingly pervasive control over our governments, organizations, markets, and information circulation. Most significantly, they influence individuals’ social behavior using social media algorithms, heralding a dystopian era of surveillance at unprecedented levels.
We collectively create results nobody wants.
– Otto Scharmer
The repercussions of this hegemony extend far beyond mere convenience, threatening the very fabric of privacy, autonomy, and healthy social systems. It’s evident that the current trajectory is unhealthy and calls for a shift towards decentralized and more secure alternatives.
By embracing this transition, individuals not only claim more control over their digital lives but also contribute towards a more healthy, equitable and transparent digital landscape.
What else is possible?
Leveraging the power of open-source software and the accessibility of cloud computing to create islands of sanity.
With platforms like NextCloud, individuals and groups have the opportunity to join little islands of digital sovereignty. They can store their digital assets and collaborate with others without perpetuating the surveillance ecosystem of tech giants. These islands offer a space where privacy and autonomy are prioritized, where individuals can reclaim control over their digital lives and stop contributing to the surveilance system.
With embracing these alternatives, the possibility of a healthier digital future becomes increasingly tangible.
What is needed to build an island?
Computing Power
Operating system
Cloud Platform
Setup & Configuration
Administration
Technical Maintenance
What is needed for transitioning?
Effort & Dedication for Transition
Extra Costs
Example cost estimation
One Off Setup
Task / Item | Cost (€) | 40 Users | 60 Users | 80 Users | 100 Users | 200 Users |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Development Work & Resources
Including 2 months of server and related services costs
|
2200
|
55
|
37
|
27.5
|
22
|
11
|
User Acocunt Setup / User
|
|
10
|
10
|
10
|
10
|
10
|
Total Initial Cost / User
|
|
65
|
47
|
37.5
|
32
|
22
|
Monthly
Task / Item | Cost (€) | 40 Users | 60 Users | 80 Users | 100 Users | 200 Users |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Computing Power (Server)
32 GB / 12 Cores / 1 TB SSD (40 / 60) 64 GB / 16 Cores / 2 TB SSD (80 / 100) 128 GB / 24 Cores / 4 TB (200) |
35
|
–
|
–
|
60
|
–
|
110
|
Email Delivery Service
40’000 emails per month
|
15
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Backup Storage
10TB
|
25
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|
General Monitoring & Maintenance
4 hours of system administration
|
180
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
SUM
|
255
|
255
|
255
|
280
|
280
|
330
|
SUM / User
|
|
6.25
|
4.2
|
3.4
|
2.75
|
1.65
|
File Storage / User
250GB
|
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
Maintenance / User
|
|
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
Administration / User
|
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
Total / User (€)
|
|
18.25 |
16.2 |
15.4 |
14.75 |
13.65 |