Why Hanze must move away from Big Tech (and therefore from Microsoft)
It is high time for Hanze to join the growing movement of institutions turning away from Big Tech, argues Pieter Hogendoorn. ‘It is a major undertaking, but it has to be done.’
Hanze should become independent as soon as possible from American Big Tech companies such as Microsoft, Adobe, Meta, Google and Amazon. Let us join forces with the University of Groningen (RUG), which has already set this movement in motion.
There are three fundamental problems with these companies. First, the software and online services market naturally leads to monopolies due to economies of scale and network effects. These monopolies then squeeze their customers, which is exactly what we see happening with Big Tech. Microsoft can increase licence fees year after year because organisations such as Hanze have locked themselves into a Microsoft-only policy.
Our contract with Microsoft runs counter to the ambition to create regional impact
Every year, we ship vast sums of money (hundreds of thousands, even millions of euros) to the United States. This has nothing to do with Hanze’s ambition to create regional impact. It also runs directly counter to Dutch and European policies aimed at strengthening our own economy (see, for example, the reports by Peter Wennink and Mario Draghi).
Second, these companies use our data: to target us with advertising, to map and influence our political preferences, and to build AI models. There is much more to criticise about AI, by the way: it undermines students’ learning processes and independent thinking, it exhibits significant political bias, and it consumes staggering amounts of energy. Let us have a proper debate about this at Hanze, instead of dutifully repeating that with AI you should ‘think in terms of opportunities’. Yes, it is an ‘opportunity’ for Big Tech to hijack our thinking.
Can you still travel safely to the US if you criticise Trump using a Microsoft product?
Are our Hanze data really safe with Microsoft? Yes, yes, I know: the Microsoft server is located in Ireland, and there is a contract in which Microsoft solemnly promises not to touch our data. But what are contracts with American Big Tech companies still worth? Are our secrets truly safe? Can you still travel safely to the US if you say something critical about the American president using a Microsoft product? LinkedIn already removes critical videos. And your Microsoft account can be shut down if Donald Trump so desires.
Third, these tech companies are America’s oligarchs. At Trump’s inauguration, they stood beaming in the front row. Some actively undermine democracy (think of Elon Musk of X, who fuels the far right in Europe, or Jeff Bezos of Amazon, who muzzled The Washington Post). Other Big Tech companies, such as Microsoft, allow themselves to be used to keep Europe in a technological stranglehold. Every euro we transfer to these companies makes them stronger and makes us more dependent on the US. That damages freedom and security in Europe. America is not our friend, and these companies certainly do not have our best interests at heart.
I know this will be a major task for our ICT department, which is heavily geared towards Microsoft
That is why we must say goodbye to Big Tech. Across Europe, the tide is turning. Just a small selection from the steady stream of reports: the French government will stop using Teams by 2027 in favour of a French alternative. The Danish Ministry of Digitalisation already phased out Microsoft products entirely in 2025, including Windows and Office 365, and the cities of Copenhagen and Aarhus are following suit. Five Dutch universities are actively working on this transition, as is SURF, the ICT cooperative for Dutch education and research institutions. And, as mentioned, our own neighbour, the University of Groningen, aims to be independent from Big Tech by 2030.
I therefore argue that we should take action now and join this movement. I know this will be a major task for our ICT department, which is heavily geared towards Microsoft. Our servers, our laptops, our email, applications and cloud services: everything will have to change. This will be a massive transition for everyone. And yet, it has to happen. The US has rapidly transformed from a friend into an adversary. We must keep Big Tech at arm’s length. It is possible. It is necessary. So let us do it.
Pieter Hogendoorn is a lecturer-researcher in the Communication programme and is affiliated with EnTranCe. This opinion article was written in a personal capacity.
Illustration: Yateesha van Loon
Where does the conversation about Big Tech stand at Hanze?
Following questions from Brian Wittermans (HSV, Hanze Student Interests Association) and Agnes Schilder (Onafhankelijke Realisten), Petra Smeets, member of the Executive Board, briefly addressed Hanze’s position on this issue during the consultation meeting with the participation council (HMR) on 26 January. She acknowledged that dependence on Big Tech is ‘uncomfortable’, but also pointed to the practical, legal and financial consequences of cutting ties with Microsoft.
The Executive Board wants to fully assess these consequences before taking a position, Smeets said the day after the meeting. ‘The issue will undoubtedly be taken up and discussed further in the HMR Committee for Business Support and IT.’
That is indeed the case: dependence on Big Tech will be on the agenda of the Business Support and IT committee meeting on 9 March. The HMR also intends to raise the issue in its consultation with the Executive Board on 16 March. Brian Wittermans: ‘It would be good if Hanze quickly investigates alternatives to Big Tech.’ Agnes Schilder adds: ‘This is one of those issues on which I would like to see a bit more boldness from the Executive Board.’