A bold new initiative could help ensure that technology serves society—not corporate or authoritarian interests.
Big Tech’s disregard for the social consequences of their platforms has become a regular headline. One recent tragedy was the killing of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, by a member of a militant Facebook group—one the company was aware of but failed to act against.
This issue goes beyond monetizing our digital interactions; it reflects deeper forms of exploitation and control. These systems perpetuate historic injustices, giving rise to what scholars like Nick Couldry and I call “data colonialism.” It’s a new form of domination—where our data is extracted and appropriated, not only by companies like Facebook, Apple, Google, and Amazon but also by state-driven systems like China’s surveillance apparatus.
Between Surveillance and Profit: A Third Path?
Caught between Silicon Valley’s profit-driven motives and China’s authoritarian control, many in the world are asking: is there a better alternative? The answer may lie in reviving the spirit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which during the Cold War, tried to chart a course independent of U.S. capitalism and Soviet communism.
Although NAM had its flaws, it offers inspiration. We propose a Non-Aligned Technologies Movement (NATM)—not led by states, but by a coalition of activists, researchers, technologists, and civil society groups, united by a commitment to resist both techno-capitalist and techno-authoritarian models.
Why NATM Is Urgently Needed
There are two main reasons for launching this movement. First, the tech development landscape is notably absent of ethical oversight. In science, experiments must prove they won’t harm human subjects. In tech, no such standard exists—even as new technologies reshape our lives in irreversible ways. NATM challenges the myth that ethics and innovation can’t coexist, insisting that digital technologies must be held to the same rigorous ethical standards as scientific research.
Second, most governments lack the will—or power—to confront Big Tech. Even minimal efforts like taxing tech giants or defending user rights are often abandoned. NATM would empower global civil societies to unite, apply pressure on governments, and push for structural change in how technology is developed and regulated.
The Movement’s Core Goals
The central goal of NATM is to shift technological development away from exploitation and toward serving the public good. To do this, we must define what “public interest” in technology looks like, and evaluate technologies accordingly. While many organizations are already working toward this, NATM would unify and amplify their efforts into a global force.
A secondary goal is to regulate and tax technologies that act against public interest. Crucially, NATM promotes social good over individual gain—going beyond the idea of simply compensating people for their data. One concrete step is the nationalisation of data—not as state ownership, but as asserting national control over data that’s currently being extracted without consent. These revenues should be reinvested in community welfare rather than enriching elites or corporations.
The third goal is grassroots empowerment. NATM should be accessible to everyone—from countries and cities to local communities and individuals. The aim is to build a new social order grounded in digital justice, where even the smallest groups have a voice in shaping how technologies affect them.
Turning Ideas into Action
What could NATM actually do? First, it could conduct a coordinated evaluation of open-source platforms and collectively invest in developing scalable, ethical alternatives to Big Tech products. Many of these tools already exist but need broader adoption and support.
Second, NATM could launch a global lab for analysing the algorithms behind Big Tech platforms. A prototype for this already exists—the Algorithm Observatory, which blends citizen science with media literacy. It’s a step toward understanding and challenging the extractive logic of dominant algorithms.
Third, NATM could establish local review boards, much like ethics committees in scientific research, to assess the societal impact of new technologies. These boards would include diverse community representatives and decide what technologies are allowed in their areas and how much data should remain in the public domain. NATM would provide global training and coordination to ensure these boards are effective and fair.
Building Momentum for a Fairer Future
It’s unlikely Big Tech or governments will willingly accept these new norms, at least not immediately. But the goal of NATM isn’t instant compliance—it’s to demonstrate that another future is possible. A global digital order rooted in equity, accountability, and community control can emerge if we build enough collective power.
To learn more or get involved, visit nonalignedtech.net and join the movement to redefine technology on just and democratic terms.
