Cover photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash.

(As I know somebody will ask- I'm writing this using a Firefox browser, on a desktop PC running Linux Mint. The hardware is a refurbished HP, manufactured in the Czech Republic and resold by a small company in the Netherlands).

Let me start by saying- I am not a fan of big tech companies. Or, more accurately, I am no longer a fan of big tech companies. Up until a couple of years ago I was thoroughly embedded in Google's ecosystem, using Google Maps, Translate, Photos, Drive, Nest, and even Google Music before they killed it off.

I loved the convenience of these well-built apps and the way they let me work seamlessly between my laptop and my phone, and I didn't think twice about choosing Android when it was time for an upgrade.

Alongside all these Google products, I also used Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp (all from Meta), plus Netflix, Prime video, and a few other things too. I was a good customer for large Silicon Valley-based companies, alongside hundreds of millions of others around the world.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.

What changed?

No prizes for guessing- Donald Trump's reelection in November 2024 started the ball rolling, the presence of tech CEOs at his inauguration sped things along, and Executive Order 14203 was really the last nail in the coffin.

For those who don't know your Executive Orders from memory (a group that includes pretty much everyone, I assume), 14203 was the order placing sanctions on judges and employees of the International Criminal Court based in The Hague.

Based entirely on a political decision taken by Donald Trump, named individuals in Europe suddenly found themselves locked out of their emails, their bank accounts, and many other services that are almost indispensable in modern life.

I don't work for the ICC and I never have, but when I saw that these companies were choosing to take sides in a political dispute, I decided I better pick a side too.

Photo by The Now Time on Unsplash.

The great subscription cull

Companies like Google and Meta make money from our our time and attention, but they also make money when we give it to them, so that's where I started.

Google One, Netflix, Prime video, Microsoft OneDrive, all cancelled and replaced with alternatives based in Europe (details to follow below). A couple of taps on my screen and the monthly payments stopped, and I was ready for the next step.

My next targets were unpaid services that make money by collecting data or serving ads. Google Chrome, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Translate all had to go and, frankly, uninstalling them felt almost therapeutic, even if I knew that one less user wasn't going to make a difference.

Finding alternatives

When picking replacements for these services, supporting European and open source tech (preferably both) was my priority. Here's a list of my switches, in no particular order.

1. Gmail -> Proton Mail (Switzerland)
2. Google One/Microsoft OneDrive -> Proton Drive (Switzerland)
3. Google Translate -> DeepL (Germany)
4. Netflix/Prime Video -> Videoland (Netherlands)/Arte (France/Germany)
5. Google Maps -> HERE WeGo (Netherlands)
6. Google Chrome -> Firefox (opensource)
7. Microsoft Office -> Libre Office (opensource)
8. Instagram -> Pixelfed (opensource)/BeReal (France)
9. WhatsApp/Messenger -> Olvid (France)
10. Uber -> Bolt (Estonia)
11. Google Notes -> Joplin (France)
12. Google Wallet -> physical bank cards

And Facebook I replaced with nothing, because it's a hellscape of bigotry and AI slop, and I don't need a that in my life.

Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash.

Limitations

There are some things that are beyond my control, however, and I want to acknowledge those here too.

Firstly, tech is complicated, and even apps and sites based in Europe may rely on Amazon Web Services or Microsoft for cloud storage or their back end systems.

Secondly, me switching services doesn't mean everyone I know is switching as well, and sometimes that means compromising. Most of my friends and family still use WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram, so I readily admit that I haven't gotten rid of those entirely. I use them when I have to and, in the case of Instagram, I use it on a browser rather than their app.

When it comes to people asking if I've seen a particular film or new series on Netflix or Prime, though, I have no problem confirming that I haven't, and I'll gladly elaborate on why if I'm given half a chance.

Perfect is the enemy of good

The title of this last section is often attributed to Voltaire, and it sums up my attitude to my journey away from big tech so far. I haven't yet been able to say goodbye to some things entirely, but using them less often is a step in the right direction nevertheless.

If millions of others take that same first step, some obscenely wealthy and powerful companies might find that they're not as untouchable as they thought.

Photo by Clemens van Lay on Unsplash.