Digital and Data Sovereignty in Digital Platforms: Qualitative Review and Comparative Policy Analysis

Data are becoming increasingly crucial to business and social digitalization, as such data have become a strategic asset that accelerates economic competitiveness and digitalization of society. In a societal context, it is important to maintain complete control over data, mainly once it is to be exchanged or shared. Another challenge is associated with who has control over data produced from digital platforms used by citizens. This ability is termed data sovereignty. Digital sovereignty refers to the concept of control, self-determination, and the ability of individuals or business entities to govern and exercise their right to utilize their data. As such, digital and data sovereignty is of paramount importance to enhance data usage and ownership policies. However, less attention has been given to exploring how digital sovereignty can be achieved by digital platforms used by citizens and what policies should be put in place to re-enforce the digital rights of citizens. Moreover, there are fewer guidelines on digital sovereignty requirements in the literature. This article employs qualitative review and comparative policy analysis of European Union (EU)–United States (US) digital initiatives to identify and aggregate policies aimed at providing a common understanding of digital and data sovereignty. This study contributes to addressing challenges faced by companies in implementing initiatives needed to ensure that the digital sovereignty of citizens is preserved when they use digital platforms. Findings from this study present key requirements (technical, legal–institutional, individual, infrastructural, and cross-cutting dimensions) and digital sovereignty initiatives that apply to citizens within the EU–US.