Democratisation…of technology…under threat

The decision by the US to add Huawei and some of its affiliates to a trade blacklist back in May, which had additional Huawei-linked companies added to the list this week, is a concerning development in the rise of powerful forces grappling to deal with the effects of the democratisation of technology through digitisation.

Individuals and corporates no longer have to be based physically in North America or Western Europe to deliver world-changing technology globally, and the consumer electronics industry is a prime example of this evolution with brands such as Samsung, Sony, LG and yes, Huawei, having become household names around the world.

One of the enduring pillars of digitisation, the World Wide Web, is 30 years old. At its core lies the promotion of interconnectivity across geographic boundaries on a single network. The Web was built to promote access and information exchange, allowing data hitherto siloed to be available to multitudes.

This enduring quality to interconnect has evolved to become one of the greatest concerns the modern Web faces, at least from a security standpoint, as the number and impact of cyber threats has risen. A couple of years ago the US raised the alarm over the safety of Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky’s possible links to Russian security services, sparking fears whether Kaspersky software, including its antivirus programmes, contained backdoors. All government agencies in the US were directed to remove the company’s antivirus software from their networks; a directive that is maintained till today.

The US does not hold a monopoly on prioritising political policy over market-driven technological mobility, with China maintaining a block on access to Google products across its territories. Trade barriers and national policies appear to be becoming a growing tool of choice to stem, impede or frustrate the progress of technology suppliers considered threats – perceived or actual – to national interests and progress.

Throughout history, there are innumerable examples of national policies falling short of their desired attempt to alter the natural course of human ingenuity and enterprise, Prohibition in the US in the 1920s being one such example. Beyond hurting the financial prospects of the affected companies, there is also the very real threat of negatively impacting the global economy as trade bans are often reciprocated and efficiencies typically compromised.

The rise of geopolitics as a method of framing the course of technological advancement and influence is a worrying trend, and has the power to diminish the digital dazzle created over the last three decades. It’s hard to tell who and if there will be any long-term winners as a result.