According to internal documents reviewed by Reuters, the United States has reportedly instructed its diplomats to oppose data sovereignty initiatives. In conflict with many countries, particularly with the European Union on the issue of data sovereignty and personal data flows, Washington continues its hostilities.
Washington renews hostilities in the “global data war.” The administration of President Donald Trump has directed its diplomats to push back against efforts to regulate how American technology companies handle foreign data. According to an internal diplomatic communication reviewed by Reuters, these initiatives could interfere with services related to artificial intelligence.
This decision marks a return to a more confrontational approach by the United States in this area. While several countries seek to limit the collection and storage of their citizens’ personal information by Silicon Valley companies, often as part of “data sovereignty” or “data localization” policies, the American administration chooses to firmly oppose them.
In a telegram dated February 18 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department emphasizes that such laws “would disrupt global data flows, increase cybersecurity costs and risks, limit artificial intelligence and cloud services, and expand government control in a way that undermines civil liberties and enables censorship.”
The document indicates that the Trump administration intends to promote “a more assertive international data policy” and that diplomats should “oppose unnecessarily restrictive regulations, such as data localization requirements.”
Context: The article discusses how the United States is instructing its diplomats to push back against data sovereignty initiatives that could impact American technology companies’ data handling practices.
Fact Check: The article accurately summarizes the content of the internal documents reviewed by Reuters regarding the United States’ stance on data sovereignty.
