{"id":898990,"date":"2026-04-14T03:12:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T08:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/14\/uk-reliance-on-us-big-tech-companies-is-national-security-risk-claims-report\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T03:12:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T08:12:33","slug":"uk-reliance-on-us-big-tech-companies-is-national-security-risk-claims-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/14\/uk-reliance-on-us-big-tech-companies-is-national-security-risk-claims-report\/","title":{"rendered":"UK reliance on US big tech companies is \u2018national security risk\u2019, claims report"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/German\/Hero-Data-Sovereignty-Natalia-03_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" data-credit=\"Natalia - stock.adobe.com\"  width=\"520\" height=\"173\" alt><\/p>\n<p>Natalia &#8211; stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"content-header\">\n<h2>UK government urged to follow European countries by backing technology based on open standards<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"content-center\">\n<ul>\n<li><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i data-icon=\"2\"><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"contributors-block\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ttgtmedia.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Bill-Goodwin-CW-contributor-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Goodwin\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/contributor\/Bill-Goodwin\">Bill Goodwin,<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Investigations Editor<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\tPublished: <span>14 Apr 2026 0:00<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"content-body\">\n<p>The UK is over-reliant on a small number of big tech companies to provide critical datacentres, software and digital infrastructure, placing national security at risk, according to a report by the Open Rights Group (ORG).<\/p>\n<p>The report, which is backed by a number of MPs, warned that the UK\u2019s dependency on US big tech companies places the UK at risk as relations between the two countries have become strained.<\/p>\n<p>Rifts between the UK and the US over the conduct of the US and Israel\u2019s war with Iran, if they are exacerbated, could expose the UK to threats of US sanctions that could impact critical infrastructure, the report said.<\/p>\n<p>Big Tech companies have used their power and resources to control markets, limit innovation and lobby government, allowing them to capture the market for UK\u2019s critical infrastructure, said the lobbying group, adding: \u201cThis over-reliance on foreign companies has become an urgent issue of national security as US foreign policy actions are creating geopolitical uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n<section data-menu-title=\"Risk of sanctions\">\n<h2><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i>Risk of sanctions<\/h2>\n<p>The US has powers to issue sanctions that can be used to stop companies supplying technology services to government institutions or individuals, which could place critical services at risk in the event of a dispute with the US.<\/p>\n<p>The US used its powers to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cx2p19l24g2o\">sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC)<\/a>, leading Microsoft to <a href=\"https:\/\/nltimes.nl\/2025\/05\/20\/microsofts-icc-email-block-triggers-dutch-concerns-dependence-us-tech\">block the email account of the ICC\u2019s chief prosecutor<\/a> after the US objected to the ICC issuing warrants targeting the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the UK\u2019s relationship with the US were to deteriorate \u2013 for example, over Greenland or Iran \u2013 the US could leverage power through its corporate dominance of the UK\u2019s critical infrastructure,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n<p>The UK also risks exposure to surveillance of sovereign data through US cloud services, which US agencies can access under the US Cloud Act; and Chinese tech companies, which under China\u2019s national intelligence laws must assist the Chinese government and intelligence services.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-menu-title=\"Risk of lock-in\">\n<h2><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i>Risk of lock-in<\/h2>\n<p>The UK government is dependent on strategic IT suppliers and consultancies that have led to government departments being \u201clocked-in\u201d to a particular suppliers technology, while being vulnerable to overcharging and cost overruns, the report argued.<\/p>\n<p>The Competition and Markets Authority estimated in a <a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/media\/688b8891fdde2b8f73469544\/final_decision_report.pdf\">report last year<\/a> that the UK could be paying up to \u00a3500m a year more for cloud services than it would if the market was more competitive.<\/p>\n<p>The Open Rights Group urged the UK government to follow EU countries, including Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark, which are making strategic investments in technology that is based on open standards and publicly available open source software. It argued that investing in open source software, which must be made publicly available free of charge, will boost the economy and boost innovation, citing EU research that suggested that every \u00a31 invested in open source technology produces \u00a34 in economic payback.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-menu-title=\"UK should promote sovereign cloud\">\n<h2><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i>UK should promote sovereign cloud<\/h2>\n<p>Lib Dem MP Tim Clement-Jones told Computer Weekly that the government should change its procurement rules to assist UK cloud providers to scale up: \u201cWe need to change our procurement rules to actually discriminate in favour of UK providers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added that the government should provide more encouragement to open-source software providers and to the development of sovereign AI models: \u201cThere seems to be very little real holistic sort of strategy on all of this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Labour MP Clive Lewis said that the UK government\u2019s dependence on big tech companies, such as Palantir, had left the UK \u201cdangerously vulnerable\u201d, saying: \u201cWith increasing geopolitical uncertainty as a result of US and Israeli military actions, the UK must ensure that it has control over its critical digital infrastructure. Digital sovereignty must be a priority.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sian Berry, an MP for the Green party, said that digital sovereignty should be a top government priority. \u201cAs global events continue to cause instability, we must build much more resilience to protect our critical digital infrastructure from the potential threat of sanctions and service withdrawal,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"DigDeeperSplash\">\n<h4>\n\t\t\t<i data-icon=\"m\"><\/i>Read more on Cloud applications<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/feature\/This-rise-of-the-splinternet-Data-sovereignty-risks-and-responses\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/passport-visa-fotolia_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/passport-visa-fotolia_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/passport-visa-fotolia.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>The rise of the splinternet? Data sovereignty risks and responses<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/adshead_antony2018.jpg\" alt=\"AntonyAdshead\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Antony\u00a0Adshead<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/opinion\/Why-the-CMA-must-act-now-on-cloud-before-the-UK-loses-its-digital-future\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/LeMagIT\/hero_article\/Cloud_ballon_AdobeStock_92848671_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/LeMagIT\/hero_article\/Cloud_ballon_AdobeStock_92848671_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/LeMagIT\/hero_article\/Cloud_ballon_AdobeStock_92848671.jpeg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Why the CMA must act now on cloud before the UK loses its digital future<\/h5>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/opinion\/The-UK-governments-AI-skills-programme-betrays-UK-workers-and-our-digital-sovereignty\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/IT-skills-training-fotolia_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/IT-skills-training-fotolia_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/IT-skills-training-fotolia.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>The UK government\u2019s AI skills programme betrays UK workers and our digital sovereignty<\/h5>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366637125\/Campaigners-urge-UK-to-develop-digital-sovereignty-strategy\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/cyber-security-laptop-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/cyber-security-laptop-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/cyber-security-laptop-adobe.jpeg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Campaigners urge UK to develop digital sovereignty strategy<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Sebastian-Klovig-Skelton-CW-contributor.jpg\" alt=\"SebastianKlovig Skelton\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Sebastian\u00a0Klovig Skelton<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366641487\/UK-reliance-on-US-big-tech-companies-is-national-security-risk-claims-report\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><br \/>\n Samatha Fetzer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Natalia &#8211; stock.adobe.com UK government urged to follow European countries by backing technology based on open standards By Bill Goodwin, Investigations Editor Published: 14 Apr 2026 0:00 The UK is over-reliant on a small number of big tech companies to provide critical datacentres, software and digital infrastructure, placing national security at risk, according to a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":898991,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[106,33152,46],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-898990","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-companies","8":"category-reliance","9":"category-technology"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=898990"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898990\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/898991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=898990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=898990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=898990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}