Digital Sovereignty

Abstract

The term “digital sovereignty” has become an integral part of current political discourse. Across party lines and administrative levels, there is consensus: Being digitally sovereign is desirable and important. However, it often remains unclear what it actually means to be digitally sovereign and how this desirable state should be achieved. Nearly every digital policy measure could be justified and rhetorically polished with the goal of digital sovereignty. Still, digital sovereignty is more than a meaningless buzzword. It allows us to experience the political dimensions of digital infrastructures in many facets. It clarifies the political dimensions of digital infrastructures and points us towards the scopes of action in which we ourselves can shape our digital future in a self-determined way. To illustrate digital sovereignty in its entirety, this compact overview addresses three central questions.