Episode artwork: Derrière nos écrans / Ausha.
Listen to the podcast — Derrière nos écrans
Caroline talks with Florian Strich, a privacy consultant and a key figure in the young association Données Souveraines Québec. Together, they unpack the roadmap that the collective has just presented publicly to the Quebec government to free the province's businesses from American digital dependence.
What You Will Better Understand in This Episode
From Privacy to the GDPR
What led Florian from defending online privacy to implementing the GDPR, and how this much-criticized European regulation, behind cookie banners, changed the landscape.
The Real Costs of American IT Dependence
Approximately 60% of Quebec's $27 billion IT market flows south of the border each year. But the issues also extend to IT expertise, trade secrets, laws and customs.
The Hyperscalers' Cloud Trap
Amazon, Microsoft and Google: guarantees that exist only on paper, vendor lock-in that makes customers captive, and the real risk of a “kill switch.” Remember the judge in The Hague who lost access to his Microsoft tools.
Defining What “Sovereign” Really Means
Hosting your data in Quebec is not enough! That is why DSQ is calling for a Quebec digital sovereignty certification label.
Tax Credits to Ease the Transition
A system of bronze, silver and gold tiers to reward businesses according to their independence from non-sovereign solutions, particularly American ones.
Open Source, Open Standards and Resource-Efficient AI
Often overlooked, open-source computing offers transparency, reversibility, resource-efficient AI models with open weights, and skilled local jobs. France's La Suite, deployed to 600,000 public servants, provides inspiration.
Rethinking Public Procurement Criteria
Requiring AWS (Amazon Web Services) skills effectively excludes sovereign solutions.
Citizens and Education
Florian advocates for digital literacy for everyone, particularly when it comes to using AI in schools.
Explore the Roadmap and Join the Movement
The roadmap is available to download free of charge under an open licence at donneessouveraines.quebec. The association welcomes both business and individual members.
Listen to the Episode
Find this episode of Derrière nos écrans on all audio podcast platforms. The conversation is in French.
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Has your business or organization moved away from Google Docs or Microsoft Office, or would it be ready to do so?