As long as we talk about tech independence or digital #sovereignty primarily in terms of geography and jurisdiction, we will lose as users and as people with rights:
1. Because this narrative can easily be co-opted by antidemocratic, nationalistic forces.
2. It takes away attention from what actually provides us with independence: software #freedom, #interoperability, a power shift away from #bigtech to small, decentralised, ethical tech.
3. It gives praise to entities...
Looking for alternatives to popular #Microsoft products? We can help! Take a look at these private alternatives👇🏼
Which of them are you using? 🤔
#microsoft #bigtech #bigtechalternatives
Looking for options to free yourself from #bigtech but don't know where to start: Here's an amazing list of alternatives to most big services by @Joanwestenberg :
joanwestenberg.com/american-te…
The world can no longer trust American tech. If that sounds dramatic, take a step back and consider the facts.Joan Westenberg (westenberg.)
Let's play a game.
Don't say PowerPoint presentation, say slidedeck
Don't say Word, say text document
Don't say Photoshop, say image editing
Don't say Excel, say spreadsheet
Don't say...
Language is important. When corporate companies own the names of the tasks or the digital items you create, you have become a cog in their branding machine.
Please consider hosting videos on other places than just #YouTube.
#Google is making it increasingly difficult to view their videos in ways that don't make you choke on their surveillance, ads and cookies. I will *never* load a video directly from YouTube, and I know I'm not the only one.
Please consider posting them on #PeerTube and sync that to YT for the people who still don't understand how evil Google is.
Ik laat Marieke De Hoon universitair hoofddocent internationaal strafrecht, hier achter met een fragment uit 📺 EenVandaag van 7 feb 2025… (slechts) 2️⃣ weken na de inauguratie.
Wil je begrijpen waarom soevereiniteit cruciaal is voor landen, organisaties en de manier waarop we verweven zijn met Big Tech? Klik op play. Of beter nog: stel jezelf de vraag wat er gebeurt als jouw organisatie maandag niet kan inloggen of deelnemen aan betalingen 🤔.
#Soevereininteit #autonomie #bigtech #aanDeSlagInDeEU
Google, a brief history
2004: Don’t be evil
2018: OK, be evil but at least don’t kill people
2025: Fuck it, kill people
independent.co.uk/business/goo…
#Google #BigTech #AI #SiliconValley #USA #capitalism #fascism
The tech giant has unveiled an update to its AI principles, which removes references to not pursuing work on weapons and surveillance.Martyn Landi (The Independent)
Ready to move away from Big Tech?
There are options. Choosing those options will require you to learn something new, but that is a small cost to pay to get away from Big Tech, IMHO
Here are my suggestions. Feel free to add your own:
1. Browser : Vivaldi. That one is a given for me, obviously.
2. Mail client : Vivaldi. You may wonder why you need a mail client, but besides the technical benefits, it makes it a lot easier to move between mail services or even use more than one.
3. Mail service : Fastmail. They have been around for a long time.
4. Office software : Libre Office.
5. Video conference : Whereby.
6. Desktop OS : Linux.
7. Social : Mastodon and the Fediverse in general.
As said, I am eager to hear what you are using to help me move away from Big Tech as well. Always looking for new things to try.
#Mastodon #fediverse #Linux #Windows #BigTech #Politics #Technology #Computers
My Gmail was telling me that I had no more space and that it might stop delivering emails... (threatening me with a good time!)
I decided it was a good time to dump the email I've had for over 2 decades...
So I decided to try out @Tutanota
... and then some other stuff...
pythonbynight.com/blog/untangl…
How a full mailbox led me to start letting go of overdependence on big tech platforms.Untangling From Big Tech Things
Want to learn more about why Big Tech wants to see you naked?
Check out our article of the meaning behind Tuta's latest clip, and why privacy matters 🔒 ❤️
🔗 tuta.com/blog/big-tech-wants-t…
#BigTech #PrivacyMatters #DataPrivacyDay
On Data Privacy Day we released a video that explains why privacy matters. Watch it now!Tuta
For the past few months, we've been working on decreasing our dependence on #bigtech - most notably, our dependence on #Microsoft via #Github.
We've been experimenting with @forgejo (which is very enjoyable), setup the build proces on our own hardware.
Since yesterday, the main instance is also hosted by #hetzner. There are still a few dependencies, but the main hurdles have been taken!
"If anyone wants to do business in [the] EU, they have to comply with the rules," Christel Schaldemose. 👏 At Tuta, we too believe that Big Tech must comply with EU regulation.
We commend these efforts by EU lawmakers to ensure the digital privacy of EU citizens.
🖇️ Full story here: politico.eu/article/parliament…
Together we can make the web a better place 💪❤️
Resist potential Trump pressure to soften rules that rein in U.S. tech giants, lawmakers tell Commission.Pieter Haeck (POLITICO)
TIL that on #Meta platforms now one can write terrible, offensive slurs against LGBTQIA+ folks and immigrants… with zero repercussions. But the second one mentions a #Fediverse project like #Pixelfed, the post is automatically removed.
Meta “moderation” policies in 2025: racism, xenophobia, transphobia, homophobia and sexism are allowed; mention of competition is strictly forbidden.
Source: mastodon.social/@dansup/113813…
Scelte adottate per il #distacco dalle #bigtech cercando di mantenere l'obiettivo della sovranità digitale e rimanendo nel #europeancontest:
- Cloud Drive: @filen (500GB/3,99€/mese)
- Navigatore: #osmand pro (2,99/mese)
- Agenda: Calendario di #fossify
- Note e Liste: Note di #fossify
- Google Play Store: @fdroid
- Password Manager: @passbolt (community edition)
- Posta elettronica: @Tutanota (free)
- Lettore Rss: @feedflowapp di @marcogom su @fdroid
Hey guys, here’s a message from Mastodon gGmbH partner Meta from the Social Web Foundation.
Enjoy!
threads.net/@tomwarrenuk/post/…
#meta #mastodon #socialWebFoundation #BigTech #SiliconValley #moderation #freezePeach
Meta unveiling big changes to Threads, Instagram, and Facebook today. Zuckerberg is abandoning fact checkers in favor of an X inspired Community Notes system in a move to restore “free expression” and reduce moderation mistakesThreads
“Amazon chose not to act” to address safety risks, allegedly “accepting injuries to its workers as the cost of doing business.”
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/20…
Daddy, why do CEOs get shot?
Amazon ignores strike threats, denies claims of “uniquely dangerous warehouses.”…Ashley Belanger (Ars Technica)
zastanawiałam się, czy wrzucać dodatkowo u siebie, jako osobnego toota, skoro już krąży po sieci, temat kontrowersyjny, a ja cierpię na chroniczny niedobór doby ;)
ale w sumie mogę zapuścić linka i dodatkowo otagować:
Czy polska szkoła musi być uzależniona od Big Techów?
techspresso.cafe/2024/10/28/cz…
#edukacja #szkoła #wychowanie #dzieci #nauczyciele #rodzicielstwo #eSzkola #cyfryzacja #edziennik #microsoft #komercjalizacja #bigtech
Czy polska szkoła musi być uzależniona od Big Techów? Państwo promuje zagraniczne korporacje w polskich szkołach. Osoby szanujące prywatność sprowadza do "roszczeniowych dziwaków". My wszyscy natomiast to finansujemy z naszych podatków.Joanna Cisowska (TECHSPRESSO.CAFE)
Did you know IBM helped Hitler carry out the Holocaust? Is it in any way surprising that we can’t do anything about Big Tech and toxic oligarchs like Elon Musk when even those who helped carry out one of the worst tragedies in human history remain unpunished? Should it come as a shock that the very same bastards are funding and pining for fascism today?
m.youtube.com/watch?v=1rhzge9r…
#BigTech #fascism #SiliconValley #ventureCapital #surveillance #capitalism #peopleFarming #BigData #AI
🚨 Ever spoken about something and the next minute you're getting an advert about it on your smartphone? Almost like your phone is listening..
Well, evidence claims that Meta, Microsoft, Google and Amazon could all be listening!
For more details 👉 👉404media.co/heres-the-pitch-de…
#Meta #Amazon #Microsoft #Google #CMG #CMGpitch #Bigtech #Activelistening
Als Nederlands burger vind ik dit ZEER ongemakkelijk:
$ host www.sidn.nl
www.sidn.nl is an alias for sidn.nl.
sidn.nl has address 35.190.27.69
sidn.nl has IPv6 address 2600:1901:0:7947::
[...]
$ whois 35.190.27.69
[...]
CIDR: 35.184.0.0/13
NetName: GOOGLE-CLOUD
[...]
$ whois 2600:1901:0:7947::
[...]
CIDR: 2600:1900::/28
NetName: GOOGLE-CLOUD
[...]
🔍 A search engine is only as good as its search index. Even alternative search engines might be using indexes built by Big Tech. 👉 tuta.com/blog/what-is-search-i…
What is your favorite search engine? 🤔 Let us know in the comments!
Need a brief and accessible explainer about the actual harms of AI?
Show folks this:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=TtVJ4JDM…
@thejuicemedia hitting it out of the park, yet again.
#ai #corporations #corporatocracy #billionaires #climateCrisis #BigTech #SiliconValley
The Government™ has made an ad about the existential threat that AI poses to humanity, and it’s surprisingly honest and informative👉 Help us keep Government...YouTube
📢 Big tech has never cared for your online #privacy and they still don’t! Don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes – it’s just privacy washing.
Read more here 👉 👉 👉 tuta.com/blog/big-tech-privacy…
#privacywashing #bigtech #privacymatters
As people around the world, become more aware of the importance of protecting their data & privacy, big tech corporations like Google and Apple adapt to appear privacy focused; welcome to privacy washing!Tutanota
Purism makes premium phones, laptops, mini PCs and servers running free software on PureOS. Purism products respect people's privacy and freedom while protecting their security.Purism SPC
Genuine question. How many more times does #BigTech censorship have to take place against journalists before you start writing on your own websites and directing people to your #RSS feed instead of relying on your social media traffic? There's thousands of places that will host your own website for you, for a price. I list a few below! No, it's not free, but how many times does this have to happen to you? thehandbasket.co/p/kansas-refl…
And here, I list a bunch of places that will host your own website for you!
Read the Kansas Reflector's piece about Facebook's climate change ad policyMarisa Kabas (The Handbasket)
Apple's response to its ~$2 billion fine is telling.
It's the same mentality Apple shows with the #DMA.
This must be the start of the #EU's crackdown on #BigTech. 💪
Here's why we're in revolt against #Apple's malicious compliance with the DMA
➡️ tuta.com/blog/apple-eu-dma-mal…
Apple follows EU Digital Markets Act by introducing hefty fines for independent software developers. Expensive fees will restrict the use of alternative app installation.Tutanota
We had a great talk with XMTP_Labs last week 🎙️
blog.xmtp.com/tuta/
We love seeing more companies embrace #privacy & join the fight against #bigtech & government #surveillance. ✊🔒
Here's to making the #web a better place #together! 🥂
"If encryption is broken, our society as a whole is at an immense risk."Esra'a Al Shafei (XMTP Labs)
Apple is showing flagrant disregard for the EU #DigitalMarketsAct. 🇪🇺
Their reluctant allowance of third-party app stores, #sideloading, & alternative payments is nothing more than an act of #malicious compliance by #apple 🍎
👉 tuta.com/blog/apple-eu-dma-mal…
#monopoly #BigTech
Apple follows EU Digital Markets Act by introducing hefty fines for independent software developers. Expensive fees will restrict the use of alternative app installation.Tutanota
2024 is the year to drop Big Tech for good. Let's start with #gmail !
👉 tuta.com/blog/how-to-delete-gm…
#NewYearsResolution #BigTech #opensource
Ready to create a private email account? Learn how to delete your Gmail permanently!Tutanota
#DigitalColonialism #AlgorithmicBias #BigTech -
Data Grab: The New Colonialism of Big Tech and How to Fight Back
Ulises A. Mejias and Nick Couldry
"Large technology companies like Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet have unprecedented access to our daily lives, collecting information when we check our email, count our steps, shop online, and commute to and from work. Current events are concerning—both the changing owners (and names) of billion-dollar tech companies and regulatory concerns about artificial intelligence underscore the sweeping nature of Big Tech’s surveillance and the influence such companies hold over the people who use their apps and platforms.
As trusted tech experts Ulises A. Mejias and Nick Couldry show in this eye-opening and convincing book, this vast accumulation of data is not the accidental stockpile of a fast-growing industry. Just as nations stole territories for ill-gotten minerals and crops, wealth, and dominance, tech companies steal personal data important to our lives. It’s only within the framework of colonialism, Mejias and Couldry argue, that we can comprehend the full scope of this heist.
Like the land grabs of the past, today’s data grab converts our data into raw material for the generation of corporate profit against our own interests. Like historical colonialism, today’s tech corporations have engineered an extractive form of doing business that builds a new social and economic order, leads to job precarity, and degrades the environment. These methods deepen global inequality, consolidating corporate wealth in the Global North and engineering discriminatory algorithms. Promising convenience, connection, and scientific progress, tech companies enrich themselves by encouraging us to relinquish details about our personal interactions, our taste in movies or music, and even our health and medical records. Do we have any other choice?"
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/b…
A compelling argument that the extractive practices of today’s tech giants are the continuation of colonialism—and a crucial guide to collective resistance.University of Chicago Press
🎊 Looking for a sweet way to celebrate #dataprivacyday? 🎉
Why not try dropping #BigTech in favor of a more private #email provider. 😎
We've got you covered with a full comparison so you can have your #privacy cake and eat it too! 💪🔒
👉tuta.com/blog/best-free-email-…
Need a new email address? Create the best free email account now!Tutanota
The American Dialect Society has announced that its 2023 Word of the Year is "Entshittification". 💩
The decline in quality of service and content from #google and #amazon is plain to see, but this doesn't need to be the future of the internet. 🤖
You can help make the web a better place by choosing free and open source alternatives to #BigTech! ✊
👉 tuta.com/open-source
Open source is key to doing security right. Only with open source, you can be sure that the software you use does what it says it does.Tutanota
1. Read this:
“Just as GitHub was founded on Git, today we are re-founded on Copilot.”
github.blog/2023-11-08-univers…
2. Go here:
#git #gitHub #codeberg #enshittification #BigTech #cooperative #dev
GitHub is announcing general availability of GitHub Copilot Chat and previews of the new GitHub Copilot Enterprise offering, new AI-powered security features, and the GitHub Copilot Partner Program.Thomas Dohmke (The GitHub Blog)
Google is taking pay-to-play to the next level. Recent court testimony shows that Google paid $21 Billion USD to remain the Internet's dominant search engine. 😱
💪 Fight back against Big Tech's monopoly by switching to a more private search engine today! 👇
tutanota.com/blog/google-searc…
#privacy #encryption #google #monopoly #bigtech
Your data is worth billions, time to take it back and break the Google monopoly on search!Tutanota
“The fact that large platforms are adopting ActivityPub is not only validation of the movement towards decentralized social media, but a path forward for people locked into these platforms to switch to better providers. Which in turn, puts pressure on such platforms to provide better, less exploitative services. This is a clear victory for our cause, hopefully one of many to come.”
Famous last words.
blog.joinmastodon.org/2023/07/…
#mastodon #fediverse #threads #BigTech #SiliconValley #zeroSumGame
There’s been a lot of speculation around what Threads will be and what it means for Mastodon. We’ve put together some of the most common questions and our responses based on what was launched today.Mastodon Blog
#Meta is having a very bad year. The latest decision (issued by the #CJEU yesterday in Meta Platforms Inc, et al., v. Bundeskartellamt, C-C252/21) adds to their woes, but more importantly, I anticipate it will force us all to re-evaluate #processing, #lawful bases, special category data, and #inferences derived from that data.
In my article, I explore the case in detail, as well as some hypotheses on the impact of this decision broadly to #BigTech, with examples.
But I'm curious to hear your thoughts and observations. Am I being a Cassandra? Overly pessimistic? Completely overthinking this? What implications am I missing?
I'll note here (even though I didn't mention it in the article) that this may also portend the effective death of the One Stop Shop mechanism, which is already on shaky ground after the whole spat between the #DPC and other regulators. Who needs Ireland if competition authorities can also raise issues under the GDPR?
CJEU case: curia.europa.eu/juris/document…
Substack: careylening.substack.com/p/met…
I unpack the far-reaching Impact of the CJEU's landmark ruling in Meta Platforms v Bundeskartellant and what it means for Big Tech, consent, and inferred data.Carey Lening (Chronicles of the Constantly Curious)
