You can advertise on Big Tech, but
Don't organize using Big Tech.
Don't use Big Tech services to support vulnerable populations, this is putting their safety at risk.
Use alternatives that respect your and their privacy. This is essential for safety.
, and now I can say that none of their services are my main tools anymore - not even the operating system π± I still have a few accounts left because of social dependencies, but I already have a plan to get rid of them. It's a long-term process, but I'm not planning to stop 
@hosford42 @Em0nM4stodon Of course! Since you're already on Mastodon, the first thing I'd suggest is replacing all Big Tech social platforms with fediverse alternatives. That means Instagram with @pixelfed 
, YouTube with @peertube π«
, Reddit with Lemmy π¨οΈ
π± Next step - switch from WhatsApp or Messenger to @signalapp 
It's a secure, private messenger with end-to-end encryption (E2EE) - actually, WhatsApp is based on Signal's protocol. I also use @matrix π - it's a decentralized messenger with E2EE too. It works kind of like the fediverse - you choose a server where your messages and data are stored, and when you chat with someone, the servers federate.
You should also replace Gmail - it's pure Big Tech. I use Protom Mail 
, but I'm thinking about switching to @Tutanota. Their company seems more focused on email, while Proton is building a whole ecosystem. Both are encrypted and have great privacy policies π
π Now, about browsing the internet - instead of Chrome or other trackers, I recommend @brave π¦ It has a built-in ad blocker and blocks tracking scripts. It also protects against fingerprinting and other privacy threats π«
π And what about search engines? Time to dethrone Google. I use DuckDuckGo 
, @StartpageSearch, and Brave Search. Each has pros and cons, but all claim to protect your privacy.
π You mentioned logging into many accounts with Google 
- unfortunately, there's no universal way to switch to manual login. You have to check each service's settings one by one. Once you do, I recommend using a password manager that doesn't collect your metadata - @bitwarden πͺ It's open-source, had no major leaks, and you can even host it yourself.
π» Want to go all in? Replace your operating system. It's a later step, but a powerful one. For desktop - Linux 
For smartphone - @GrapheneOS π± Both are privacy-focused and offer top-level security π
π Hope this helps you build your long-term path away from Big Tech. If you have questions, feel free to ask!
#BigTechExit #BigTech #PrivacyTools #Privacy #Security #Freedom #IT #Tech #Fediverse #DeGoogle #Mail #Browser #SearchEngine #Password #OS #Google #WhatsApp #Messenger #Gmail #Mastodon #Pixelfed #Peertube #Lemmy #Signal #Matrix #Proton #Tuta #Brave #DuckDuckGo #Startpage #Bitwarden #Linux #GrapheneOS
@dancingtreefrog @hosford42 @Em0nM4stodon KeePass is great π - everything is stored locally, no tracking, full control over your data. But it also requires some responsibility - if you don't make proper backups, you could lose all your passwords.
I thought about using it in the past, because I really like its philosophy. But in the end, I realized that its implementation doesn't fully match my needs. I even considered writing my own password manager - and I still haven't dropped that idea completely π
Still, it's great that we have so many alternatives - it makes it easier to choose what works best for each person πͺ
@hosford42 @Em0nM4stodon Well... Proton, like any bigger company - even one that cares about privacy π - has its share of controversies. But does that mean we should immediately disqualify the service? I don't think so. The number of issues isn't huge, and the service itself is solidly built.
Honestly, many of the bad things you've probably heard aren't directly Proton's fault - they're often the result of strong pressure from external entities that want to harm you, not help you.
Does that mean you have to use Proton? Absolutely not - I'm just sharing my perspective. Yes, there are a few flaws, but overall the platform looks great and the company seems to be heading in the right direction. And it's almost certain that if other services reach Proton's level of popularity π, they'll face similar controversies too.
@hosford42 @Em0nM4stodon The situation with Proton and Trump is complex. In late 2024, Proton's CEO Andy Yen posted something on X that many people found politically charged. He said that Republicans used to be the party of big business - but now Democrats have taken that role. Some saw it as a subtle nod to Trump - while others read it more as a comment on Big Tech and antitrust dynamics.
It got messier when Proton's Reddit account responded to a thread and said it was their official response - stating that Republicans were more serious about fighting tech monopolies. That message was later deleted - and Proton clarified it wasn't an official statement - just internal confusion. Yen also said the company would avoid political commentary going forward.
So while it was a moment that made people uneasy - there was no direct "I support Trump" statement. It seemed more like frustration with how different political sides handle regulation.
The journalist account deactivations did happen - but the reasons remain unclear. Proton hasn't provided a full explanation - and it's possible that external pressure played a role - which, unfortunately, isn't unheard of in the privacy space.
It's not a simple story - and I think it's worth staying attentive to the details. Sometimes things aren't quite what they seem at first glance.
As much as I like brave, I hate the stranglehold chromium has on the internet.. A browser with a different rendering engine is good. I still use Firefox a lot. Dont forget Privacy Badger add on from the @eff
I have been recommending mailbox.org for email for quite some time now. It is well worth what they charge and they have some cool privacy feature.
@hosford42 @Em0nM4stodon @pixelfed @peertube @signalapp @matrix @Tutanota @brave @StartpageSearch @bitwarden @GrapheneOS
Very much agreed β I make a point of strenuously avoiding Chrome itself, but even using Chromium-based browsers makes me unhappy. I've tried hopping over to Firefox a few times or making Safari my primary, and they're just missing bits and pieces of things that make it hard to really settle in. Might be time for another shot at it, or to start poking at the early builds of Ladybird to see how it's coming.
, and I have a lot of respect for people who stick with Firefox 
There was even a time when I switched to Firefox instead of Brave as a form of protest β In the end, I went back to a hybrid setup, because I just could't fully give up such a well-made product like Brave.@hosford42 @ppaluchowski64 @Em0nM4stodon I (mostly) deGoogled earlier this year. I moved my active email to two services: (1) Fastmail for fairly general purposes, and (2) Mailfence for more critical accounts where a more explicitly privacy-oriented server is appropriate. Most of my everyday mail goes through Fastmail.
In both cases I was more worried about avoiding adware, feeding generative AI, and other big-tech ickiness than obtaining extreme privacy orientation.
Mailfence seems to be similar to other privacy-focused services like Proton, but without some of the baggage. (I used to have a Proton account, but dumped it when it turned out the CEO was Trumpy, and I've seen some rather uncomfortable stories recently where Proton definitely did some sleazy shit, e.g. https://theintercept.com/2025/09/12/proton-mail-journalist-accounts-suspended/). Mailfence's main drawback, for me, is that it's a little less full-featured than some other more mainstream services.
Fastmail has an extremely simple "import from Gmail" option -- better than most others I've seen out there -- which significantly eases the burden of switching over. It also feels more like Gmail/Apple/etc than some of the smaller, more niche services out there. The one big concern I have with Fastmail is that the service has at least some servers in the US, and if avoiding any US territory in your email service is important, you may want to look elsewhere.
In either case, migration can take a while. I used the opportunity to archive a lot of old email to files I can still read with an email client, but don't need to actively think about, and also to more fully flesh out email rules to organize all the different organization I've had email contact with over the years. Migrating goes a *lot* faster if you're willing to delete or archive everything but the last 2 or 3 years of email.
Some others I considered, and which have their points, but ended up not using: Mailbox.org (HQ'd in Germany; seems to be popular there), InfoManiak (Switzerland), and StartMail (Netherlands).
As for replacing Google logins: this is going to be a migration, a lot like email. I fortunately didn't have too many logins tied up there, but the principle is the same. The good news is you can do it gradually as you run across services you need to switch to a new account. Be sure to use your new email's version of "masked" or "hidden" addresses that forward to your main address, and only give your main address out to people or organizations you trust. You can set as ridiculously high a barrier for "trust" as you want, including "nobody".
@dpnash @ppaluchowski64 @Em0nM4stodon
> Fastmail has an extremely simple "import from Gmail" option
This is a big deal to me
What operating system do you use?
I'm off Big Tech for many things - though not as many as I'd like - but I still have Android. π
@firebreathingduck @Em0nM4stodon When it comes to my computer, I use Linux - specifically Debian But I guess your question was about my phone - I use @GrapheneOS. It's a custom ROM based on Android that focuses a lot on privacy and security π Right now, it's considered the most secure system for mobile devices.
By default, it doesn't include any Google services, but you can install them in a sandbox - they work like regular apps with precise permission control βοΈ The system even lets you block apps from accessing the network or sensors.
GrapheneOS also has stronger security - many vulnerabilities just don't exist on it, and if they do, they're fixed much faster than in AOSP. I get updates every few days π
Sounds too good to be true? Actually, no - GrapheneOS works just like the regular Android on Pixel devices. The interface, how you use it, and the overall experience are almost the same, so there's no learning curve. The system runs smoothly, is stable and responsive - I haven't had any bugs, crashes or app compatibility issues β
About payment apps - I only use cash 
, so I haven't needed them. From what I know, some of them work fine, especially if Google services are installed in the sandbox. If any don't work, the GrapheneOS community has good documentation for workarounds and alternatives π So any issues are more about setup than system limitations.
Installing the system is easy - you unlock the bootloader, enter fastboot mode, and click a few times on the install page π±οΈ You can find more info at https://grapheneos.org.
#GrapheneOS #Android #Debian #Linux #Privacy #Security #OpenSource #DeGoogle #GooglePixel #Phone
@ppaluchowski64 @Em0nM4stodon @GrapheneOS
Thank you! I had seen the name GrapheneOS before, but I had not taken the time to research it. Now I will.
Unfortunately I don't have any of the supported devices.
@firebreathingduck @Em0nM4stodon @GrapheneOS Oh right - I forgot to mention that GrapheneOS only works on Pixel devices π So maybe it's worth considering one of those models as your next phone? Even used Pixels are often well-priced and work great with the system.
If you need a solution right now, it's worth checking out projects like /e/OS or LineageOS - they support many more devices. I have to admit, in terms of security, they're a bit behind GrapheneOS. I haven't used them for long myself, so it's hard to say how they perform in practice, but they're often recommended as alternatives.
In the end, it's your decision - personally, I'd wait and get a Pixel next time so I can install GrapheneOS π
@ppaluchowski64 @firebreathingduck @Em0nM4stodon LineageOS and /e/OS are not in the same space as GrapheneOS. Neither keeps up with standard privacy and security updates or preserves the standard privacy and security model. They certainly don't improve privacy and security in similar ways as GrapheneOS, let alone greatly improving both.
/e/OS has extraordinarily bad privacy and security. It should never be recommended to anyone who cares about either. Please read https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/24134-devices-lacking-standard-privacysecurity-patches-and-protections-arent-private.
@GrapheneOS @firebreathingduck @Em0nM4stodon Thanks for the clarification - you're right, I should've been more careful with the wording. I didn't mean to suggest that /e/OS or LineageOS are on the same level as GrapheneOS in terms of privacy or security. Just wanted to mention some options that people sometimes look into when they don't have a Pixel device.
I appreciate the link and the detailed explanation - it's good to have strong standards and clear boundaries when it comes to security. I'll keep that in mind next time I talk about alternatives π
@GrapheneOS @ppaluchowski64 @Em0nM4stodon
Thank you for that writeup, it's helpful.
I didn't realize LineageOS lags behind. I have a OnePlus device that Lineage supports, and I assumed that had me covered. I just bought it this summer. π€¬
@Em0nM4stodon /me taps the sign,
βFor the masterβs tools will never dismantle the masterβs house. They may allow us temporarily to beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change. And this fact is only threatening to those [people] who still define the masterβs house as their only source of support.β
(yes, it's originally about feminism, but it really applies to Big Tech in a big way.)
Skip the advertize step for better results.
@Em0nM4stodon π
I'm curious how we can synthesize this idea with https://indieweb.org/POSSE - Publish on your Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere.
Can we take a hybrid approach to organizing in which organizing "happens" on the web we control, but it's also visible on corporate platforms? Use but don't rely?
The downside is that can in practice act as an endorsement of the platform.
POSSE is an abbreviation for Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere, the practice of posting content on your own site first, then publishing copies or sharing links to third parties (like social media silos) with original post links to provide viewers a path to directly interacting with your content.
@Em0nM4stodon When Signal removed support for SMS, at first I was frustrated, but then I actually started asking people to download Signal to message me. And it worked.
Signal supporting SMS acted as an endorsement, an excuse for me not to change anything.
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