Ethical Alternatives to Big Tech

[kjtrnc@lemmy.ml]

My website has grown to 20 categories.

Please check it out. Which important categories and alternatives are missing? What should be removed again?

(I've noted earlier feedback to consider removing Proton, Brave, Signal. Which I will try to address by next month.)

I've added the controversial topic of AI chatbots. While I think there can't be truly sustainable options, I think it makes a difference whether you enter your prompts on privacy-threatening, intentionally biased and military supporting providers or with providers who adhere to rules regarding fair use of AI and privacy.

#DitchBigTech #UnplugBigTech #DigitalIndependenceDay #DIDit

Find Sustainable Alternatives to Widespread Big Tech Products on SustySubs.net

There are a lot of good reasons to get away from Big Tech. We show you some good substitutes!

(www.sustysubs.net)

[stoiceuropean@lemmy.ml]

I am new to the topic, so I can't really contribute. But I love to see other people help the boycott.

• Switched to Vivaldi. Awesome browser on all plattforms IMO.

• Switched to Proton Mail, and feel good about it. Why is Proton bad?

• And Big Win: I now host my own Nextcloud, Kalender and paperless-ngx. Highly recommend these, from a usability point of view. Can't say much about the technical or security perspective.

[kjtrnc@lemmy.ml]

Great to hear!
I can't say anything bad about the Proton Mail product. I noted the criticism of the Trump-friendly comments by Proton's CEO and got aware of false claims regarding the privacy of its newly released Proton Meet.

[hiawatha98@lemmy.world]

Things like this drive me crazy, especially in light of a conversation I had yesterday, because I don’t think people realize how damaging it is to overall privacy.

I have a friend who has been all in on Google for years. Yesterday he mentioned to me that he started playing with Proton Mail and wanted to talk to me about it, as he knows I switched last year. He said he liked it but comments he’s been reading online have him skeptical about trusting them.

I went through the process I followed, and the 12 different providers I tested, before I chose Proton. We discussed the difference between privacy and anonymity and that there are avenues to do both with Proton should he want to. I also showed him the comment that the Proton CEO posted about supporting Trump’s choice for a cabinet member who has a history of preferring small businesses over large corporations with Proton's defense.

I also stopped simping for Proton and offered a number of other alternatives he could try like my second choice, Tuta, and the number of improvements they have done since I first tested them. I even suggested FastMail because it at least sets the stage to get off a more privacy-invasive vendor.

In the end, his comment was that this was all overwhelming and that it's best to stick with “the devil you know.” So now, he will remain with Google because there is too much controversy in the privacy world, and I suspect this is true for a lot of “normal” people who are just now starting to consider improving their overall privacy and security.

With every tool, someone is going to have a problem. We let perfection become the enemy of good, and this helps people feel comfortable in deciding to stay with large American tech.

[dojan@pawb.social]

Feels kind of weird to bring in LLMs when they in their current state are big-tech, unethical, and not sustainable per automatic. It feels like an endorsement, and kind of waters down the rest of the message.

Also, Brave is none of the things listed on the website. It’s a Ycombinator project, backed by Peter Thiel, and they’ve hijacked affiliate links and such in the past.

If you want a chromium based browser that’s private and not big tech, then helium or ungoogled chromium would be better bets.

[non_burglar@lemmy.world]

The trump comments aren't the issue, it's Proton's acknowledgement that they will turn over data to the swiss police when asked.

[imaginary_stand4909@lemmy.blahaj.zone]

I try to limit my Proton use to only their VPN, and after their comments I'm trying to decide between switching to AirVPN or doing my own VPN since I need portforwarding for torrenting. I switched from ProtonMail to Mailbox.org a while ago to not keep my eggs in one basket.

I think everyone highlighting the police is correct but also cherrypicking (for lack of a better statement). Like Tuta isn't gonna go to jail for you either lol. All companies have to cooperate with the government in some form. I do agree that Proton should stop advertising like it won't or that it's failproof though. If they really cared, they would make guides on how to use their services in a way that gives little to no information to the police if demanded. And emphasizing that the email isn't encrypted if the other user isn't a ProtonMail account or using PGP.

[imaginary_stand4909@lemmy.blahaj.zone]

Ungoogled Chromium my love. I've been using them for years now, both on Windows and Linux and I basically have no complaints.

For Android, if on Graphene you already have Vanadium! If not, Cromite is also pretty good since it has built in Ad-blocking.