Google, Facebook and Apple are now countries

If decisions made by technology giants like Google, Facebook or Apple have a major impact on the lives of sovereign nations, should these companies be treated as countries? Denmark thinks so. In January, Denmark became the first country in the world to announce that it would appoint an ambassador to conduct relations between the Danish state and technology multinationals.

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The ambassador will have the same status as any Danish representative, a diplomatic passport, and the whole machine of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Copenhagen at his disposal, but he will not have a real embassy.

With the position of ambassador still to be designed by the Nordic Government, the future ambassador's field of action is discussed, which could act as a kind of lobbyist, capturing investment from big companies (Facebook is building a data center of 55,000 Square meters in Odense). Would be a link between Copenhagen and technology giants in resolving disputes like Apple vs. Washington when the company refused to cede iPhone data encrypted by the alleged perpetrator of the San Bernardino bombing to the US court.

If the growing importance and influence of these companies explain the need for a new approach by governments, the Copenhagen decision to create an unprecedented diplomatic post is not received in an entirely consensual way.

In a Forbes article, journalist Emma Woollacott said, "Corporations are not countries. By appointing an ambassador and explicitly equating the two, Samuelsen is implying that it's money that counts. Amass enough of it, and you too can get a government to give you not only special attention but a unique political status."

References:

• http://politiken.dk/udland/art5806849/Danmark-f%C3%A5r-som-det-f%C3%B8rste-land-i-verden-en-digital-ambassad%C3%B8r?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
• http://www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2017/01/28/why-denmarks-appointment-of-a-digital-ambassador-is-a-terrible-idea/2/#4e9b10926971
• http://www.thelocal.dk/20170127/in-world-first-denmark-to-name-a-digital-ambassador