Microsoft leverages proprietary formats for lock-in

Standardization is often co-opted as a marketing and regulatory shield rather than a path to true interoperability, leaving public institutions at the mercy of private corporations for the custody of their own history.

• –The standardized OOXML format (specifically OOXML Transitional) is so complex and tied to legacy Microsoft source code that it functions as a proprietary format in practice.
• –Document distortion when opening Microsoft Office files in other applications is a deliberate design choice that serves to create friction and deter users from migrating to open alternatives.
• –Real digital sovereignty requires more than just picking open-source tools; it demands structural policy shifts that mandate open formats (like ODF) and open-licensed fonts across all public communication and archiving pipelines.