Digital Sovereignty: A Descriptive Analysis and a Critical Evaluation of Existing Models

Abstract

Digital sovereignty is a popular yet still emerging concept. It is claimed by and related to various global actors, whose narratives are often competing and mutually inconsistent. This article offers a mapping of the types of national digital sovereignty that are emerging, while testing their effectiveness in response to radical changes and challenges. To do this, we systematically analyse a corpus of 271 peer-reviewed articles to identify descriptive features (how digital sovereignty is pursued) and value features (why digital sovereignty is pursued), which we use to produce four models: the rights-based model, market-oriented model, centralisation model, and state-based model. We evaluate their effectiveness within a framework of robust governance that accounts for the models’ ability to absorb the disruptions caused by technological advancements, geopolitical changes, and evolving societal norms. We find that none of the models fully combine comprehensive regulation of digital technologies with a sufficient degree of responsiveness to fast-paced technological innovation and social and economic shifts. This paper’s analysis offers valuable lessons to policymakers who wish to implement an effective and robust form of digital sovereignty.