Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology
Anu Bradford
In Digital Empires, Columbia Law School professor Anu Bradford presents a timely and compelling examination of how three global powers—the United States, China, and the European Union—are shaping the digital future of the world.
Through the metaphor of "digital empires," Bradford explores how these entities extend their influence far beyond their borders, using technology, regulation, and economic clout to create competing visions for the global digital order.
Competing Visions of Digital Governance
At the heart of the book is a conceptual framework built around three distinct regulatory models:
The American Model is market-driven, deeply rooted in free-market capitalism and prioritizes innovation, free speech, and minimal government oversight. Bradford portrays the U.S. approach as one that trusts in the transformative power of technology to drive economic and social progress.
The Chinese Model, by contrast, is state-driven. The Chinese government exerts tight control over the tech sector, using digital tools to strengthen political power, monitor citizens, and enforce social order. It represents a fusion of technological advancement with authoritarian governance.
The European Model is rights-based and regulatory in nature. The EU’s focus lies in protecting individual rights, particularly privacy and data protection, and ensuring that technology serves the public interest through strict legal frameworks and ethical oversight.
Bradford explains how these models are not just domestic policies—they are being exported globally. Nations around the world, especially those with developing digital infrastructures, are increasingly drawn into the orbit of one of these "digital empires."
Battles on Two Fronts
The author introduces the concepts of horizontal and vertical battles to describe the complex power struggles in the digital space. Horizontal battles refer to the geopolitical competition among the US, China, and the EU as they vie for regulatory dominance. Vertical battles, on the other hand, are the struggles between governments and powerful tech companies—such as Google, Meta, Alibaba, and Tencent—who must navigate conflicting rules and assert their own influence over digital ecosystems.
This dual-layered conflict illustrates the increasing entanglement between state power and corporate influence, raising important questions about accountability, sovereignty, and the future shape of digital governance.
A Pivotal Moment for Digital Societies
One of the book’s most urgent messages is that we are at an inflection point. The regulatory choices made today will define the structure and values of future digital societies. Bradford warns of the risks posed by unregulated digital power, including widespread surveillance, erosion of privacy, market monopolies, and deepening inequality.
My best quote for this book is this:
“Over the past three decades, Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft combined have acquired 770 startups. According to Apple's CEO Tim Cook, Apple alone has acquired approximately one company every three to four weeks for the past six years”.
Her analysis is especially concerned with the dominance of a few tech giants who hold disproportionate sway over both economic systems and information flows. She urges democratic societies to act now in crafting rules that can safeguard individual rights, ensure transparency, and promote fairness in the digital realm.
A Call for Democratic Cohesion
While not dismissing the strengths of the American model, Bradford makes a persuasive case for its evolution. She advocates for a shift toward a regulatory stance more closely aligned with Europe’s values-based approach. In her view, liberal democracies must present a united front and offer a compelling alternative to China’s surveillance-oriented model—especially for countries still deciding which path to follow.
This involves not only setting internal standards but also coordinating efforts internationally to ensure that digital governance respects fundamental rights and democratic principles.
Complexity, Cooperation, and the Path Forward
Bradford avoids simplistic binaries. She acknowledges areas where these models intersect and where mutual concerns—such as cybersecurity, misinformation, and digital taxation—might allow for collaboration. However, she remains clear-eyed about the tensions that persist and the high stakes involved.
Importantly, Digital Empires does not try to predict a winner. Instead, it maps the terrain of this global struggle, inviting readers to understand the deeper philosophical and political choices at play.
Conclusion
Digital Empires is a timely and insightful exploration of the global contest to shape the digital future. Anu Bradford outlines how the United States, China, and the European Union are exporting distinct digital governance models that influence the technological and ethical foundations of the global order. With clarity and precision, she explains the complex dynamics between regulation, innovation, and global power, making the topic accessible to a wide audience.
Bradford’s argument deepens in her 2024 article The False Choice Between Digital Regulation and Innovation, where she challenges the common belief—especially in the U.S.—that regulation stifles innovation. She contends that America's tech dominance stems not from deregulation but from its legal and institutional environment. Meanwhile, the EU’s rights-centered regulatory approach, often criticized as anti-innovation, represents a deliberate choice to prioritize digital fairness and accountability.
Published in 2023, Bradford’s book gained even more relevance amid recent geopolitical shifts, including the return of protectionist policies and Europe’s renewed push for tech sovereignty. Her core message remains clear: the future of digital governance lies not in choosing between innovation and regulation but in combining values-based oversight with institutional reforms. Digital Empires provides a vital framework for understanding the stakes of our digital present—and who holds power in shaping what comes next.
João Pedro Paro
Global Director of Governance, Risk & Compliance | PhD Candidate | Internationally Qualified Attorney
