Advertising driven by Big Tech companies is a massive part of digital life for many of us, and it’s a great annoyance. Almost $500 billion was spent on online advertising in 2024 alone. Such a significant investment demonstrates the extent to which these companies depend on targeted ads to increase profit margins, often at the expense of privacy and security.
Why avoid big tech?
Online advertisements are not like older television commercials. Modern digital technologies such as cookies, recommendation algorithms, and browser fingerprinting help these companies create individualized profiles of their users. By obtaining information on your browsing activity and interests, you may receive increasingly relevant advertisements. Given enough time, Big Tech will know you more than you know yourself.
However, the privacy concerns that many have with Big Tech companies (commonly defined as Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple; or “GAMMA”; but could include a wide variety of other tech companies) extend far beyond targeted advertising. Services that collect large amounts of user data can pose security risks if they lack adequate protections like end-to-end encryption, open-source transparency, or regular independent security and privacy audits. Excessive data collection also supports government surveillance through legal subpoenas and scammers through data breaches.
Let’s be honest, escaping Big Tech is difficult. Perhaps you oppose Big Tech based on ideology, or you could be scared of the capabilities of targeted advertising. Removing yourself from Big Tech could also mean missing out on shared group chats or tailored social media feeds. Remember that everyone’s journey is different; there is no need to transition from Big Tech at the expense of your comfort or productivity. Any effort, no matter how small, takes us one step closer to digital freedom.
Who’s this guide for?
If you are looking to reduce your reliance on the services commonly known as “Big Tech”, we have a variety of guides that you might find helpful in this journey.
However, our ultimate goal is to help you make informed decisions based on technical features and privacy commitments, rather than solely focusing on company size or reputation.
Best practices
1. Harm reduction
This approach allows you to retain some level of privacy without abandoning certain Big Tech services or products. While not a perfect solution, harm reduction can minimize data collection if a complete transition is not possible.
Reconfigure account settings
Take some time to figure out which apps or accounts you must keep. Go to their settings and disable anything that may be privacy-harmful. Ensure that your location data, usage history, and targeted advertising is turned off.
Use a VPN
A VPN provider could protect your browsing habits. A VPN helps obscure your real IP address from the website you are visiting. Providers like Mullvad and Proton have a DNS filtering feature that blocks advertisements and trackers.
Change browsers
Even with a VPN, Big Tech corporations can still spy on you with techniques such as fingerprinting and advertising cookies. While clearing your browsing data is an obvious remediation, you should switch browsers entirely. Privacy Guides recommends Brave Browser and Mullvad Browser for everyday use.
2. Consider alternatives
You can’t just delete your accounts without finding suitable alternatives! If you are ready to make the final push, these tips can help you fully decouple yourself from Big Tech ecosystems.
Providers
Chances are, Apple and Google are the main providers for your cloud storage, photo management, email, and search engine needs. Thankfully, Privacy Guides has a detailed list of recommendations to replace them with.
Software
Imagine going a day without Microsoft Office, Google Maps, OneNote, or even iMessage! Whether you are a working professional, hiking enthusiast, university student, or activist, these apps can bolster your productivity and keep you connected with hobbies.
Hardware
Thankfully, you can completely replace your computer’s operating system]( Operating Systems - Privacy Guides ) with a free and open source alternative called Linux. Since there are hundreds of Linux distributions, beginners can become confused when choosing one. For the best security and timely updates, We recommend first-time Linux users to install Fedora.
If you are planning to buy a new computer, learn more here:
As for smartphones, Privacy Guides advises purchasing supported Google Pixel models and replacing the stock operating system with Graphene OS. This removes Google services from your phone entirely. If a new device is not possible, you should avoid installing other custom ROMs as basic security features like Verified Boot would be disabled.
Delete your data
Now, it is time to delete your accounts. Each company will have different procedures for data deletion; make sure to read through the appropriate customer support pages before doing so. If you live in a jurisdiction with a detailed deletion request policy, such as the European Union, follow the established procedures on their privacy policy for a straightforward deletion process.
Last edited by @jonah 2025-05-08T01:02:26Z