For good measure, data privacy laws hinder American global defense
US and EU citizens benefit from refined data privacy laws, but at a cost to NATO Allies' capabilities to counter new domains of conflict
Executive Summary: Data privacy laws in the US and EU benefit citizens but hinder NATO Allies' defense capabilities. Restrictions on Western tech companies' access to data may weaken AI competitiveness against China. Cybersecurity threats persist amid concerns over consumer privacy and regulatory differences with France. Balancing technological advancement with privacy is critical for national security and global competitiveness.
Data Privacy and Global Defense: Challenges and Implications
For good measure, data privacy laws hinder American global defense. US and EU citizens benefit from refined data privacy laws, but at a cost to NATO Allies' capabilities to counter new domains of conflict. AI algorithms need adequate training data. If Western tech companies are prohibited from accessing these massive datasets, the future of Western AI will fail to compete with their counterparts in China. Along this thread, the limitations on Western defense capabilities in the informational and cyber spaces becomes grimly apparent.
Meanwhile our Silicon Valley geniuses hurt to stay globally competitive. The astounding financial success of U.S. tech overshadows benefits given to the consumers. As though companies generate too much revenue from consumer data.
In sum, the NATO Allies’ defense capability is in a bind. The PRC's Great Digital Wall and the Russian Federation's Red Web exist intentionally. To protect their systems while geofencing their people in.
The U.S. and Europe are hit frequently by cyber-attacks and hacks from the same global competitors. At times attributable, other times it is less apparent. Both nations have minimal cyber informational gaps because their playbook is different for data collection and cyber activities. Just today, the Biden Admiration warned of impending cyberattacks on U.S. water systems.
America’s 1st world democratic values, GDP, and defense capabilities afford 1st world problems. Americans will need to concede some level of data privacy to maintain this top global standing. Detrimentally, the defense sector’s advantage seems to be out of the popular national discussion.
In early 2023, ChatGPT mesmerized Americans as a digital oracle. Until everyone realized that we were the test monkeys essentially talking to ourselves. Several businesses such as Amazon, Wells Fargo, Verizon, Northrup Grumman, and Apple banned ChatGPT from collecting customer and business intelligence. Now, American companies offer the option to opt out of Gemini or ChatGPT's collection of copyrighted and published works.
Our French dancing partner in democracy feels the pinch. On March 20th, France fined Google $272 million for breaking EU regulations and publishing agreements over scraping and using copyrighted materials. The EU filed another €2.1 billion lawsuit against Google over advertising and antitrust laws in 2024.
America's favorite search engine equally ruffles U.S. feathers. In 2023, Google reached a $5 billion consumer privacy lawsuit for tracking users in the U.S. Meta's Facebook owes $725 million on a class action over selling data to third parties.
Google provides excellent free tools to consumers like Gmail and Google Maps. Facebook's entertainment features, and Instagram and Youtube's influencer programs, give people opportunities to make money or learn. American paid and unpaid streaming content is double wrapped in extended advertising clips. More and more we are understanding there is no free lunch.
The French would rather deal with fifth tier technology than sacrifice psychological health for the fringe benefits. Broadly, French regulators restrict public advertising in the interest of national health. Commercials are limited in time blocks at the beginning, end, or the middle of a program. This allows viewers prior to the segment the option to mute or walk away. The French tackle the cultural dilemmas of social media, advertising, and data privacy with caution.
The French feel culturally threatened by AI. One French advertiser used AI generated young models to showcase a designer's new bikini line. The digital architect claims the body portions use realistic measurements and facial features. Parisians were split over the poster as whether it illustrates contemporary art or presents social hazards.
Our democratic principles aside, American mentality differs from the French. In the U.S., we move fast to sit on the technological cutting edge. An important characteristic to our national culture. But Americans do not want to be taken for a ride. Hence the pushback on monopolies, Google Analytics, targeted advertising, and prejudicial marketing tactics. Americans feel cheated by businesses using their data for AI.
Perhaps, if companies were to compensate Americans directly for personal data it would remove the sting. This money issue comes up over the TikTok ban. These platforms democratize the job market. No diploma, background check or overhead required to earn a solid living. Money will not, however, resolve the AI governance issue.
OpenAI and Google offered billions to the free, public forum Reddit for its 20 years of random conversations. A financial relief for Reddit which did not see means to generate serious revenue. For U.S. regulators and Reddit users the selling of data infringes on user privacy.
The brewing cultural grudge over data privacy negatively impacts U.S. national security. This is apparent in the popular reaction to Congress’s proposed TikTok ban. Some Americans look apathetically to personal data going to Communist China yet inflamed by Silicon Valley's potential misuse and abuse.
In one corner, France walks slowly into the deep. French society questions whether it grasps the power and impact of AI, while recognizing its benefits in medical and educational fields. There is a sense of cultural preservation under French anti-trust lawsuits and data protection regulations.
In the other corner, China dives headfirst for technological hegemony. The state pushes forward with unfathomable data collection and wild predictive behavioral analytics. The PRC’s military leaders and defense thinkers project AI-driven "mind-centered" battle dimensions. Yes, dimensions beyond space and time. America drowning in Google advertisements seems nearly inconsequential compared to China's AI visions.
In the middle sits the U.S. We are reconciling the need for personal privacy with a desire to be modern. Unfortunately, disinformation is an informational corridor America walks through blindly. The Internet of Things is intriguing to us when it makes life easier, healthier or better. We seem blithely aware of AI's impending potency by attempting self-control with quasi technological detachment.
This gray milieu leaves the American defense sector at a disadvantage. The currencies for 4th and 5th domains of warfare, information and cyber, are data and AI. Already, we live in these security dimensions. Yet, America hesitates.
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