Poll finds Europeans increasingly fear a US tech kill switch could disrupt internet services

A new EU-wide poll suggests most Europeans see heavy reliance on US technology as a strategic vulnerability, with many worried Washington could restrict access to critical digital services.

The findings add momentum to Europe’s push for greater digital sovereignty in cloud computing, communications and data infrastructure.

In the survey of 5 079 respondents across all 27 EU member states, 86 percent said a sudden US move to limit Europe’s access to digital services is plausible and should not be ruled out. Another 59 percent described the risk as already real and concrete.

Why the kill switch fear persists?

The anxiety is often framed as a potential kill switch, the idea that US authorities could compel American providers to suspend services in Europe under sanctions or other legal tools.

Concerns intensified after International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan temporarily lost access to a Microsoft-hosted email account following US sanctions.

US officials and major vendors have pushed back on the scenario, arguing that a broad shutdown is not credible and would be extraordinarily difficult to execute. Microsoft President Brad Smith has called it exceedingly unlikely, while also acknowledging it is a real concern across Europe and pledging to challenge any such order.

Europe’s response: sovereign tech plans

European institutions and several national governments have begun exploring alternatives to ubiquitous US platforms, though officials concede replacing entrenched systems will be costly and slow.

The debate is particularly acute for cloud hosting and identity, where switching vendors can require major redesigns and long procurement cycles.

The European Commission is preparing proposals expected in late May aimed at reducing reliance on foreign providers in sensitive areas.

The work includes defining what qualifies as a sovereign provider and identifying critical sectors where trusted, Europe-based solutions may be required to protect data and maintain continuity of operations.

Tech companies are also pitching technical safeguards to reassure customers, including more resilient deployments and air-gapped options designed to reduce the impact of operational disruptions.

Still, the poll indicates that, for many Europeans, the broader geopolitical risk of dependencies being weaponized remains the central worry.