Big Tech - The Exorcism

I can only comment on my own experience, pointing out any pitfalls and highlighting the advantages as much as possible.

Links are provided where necessary, even just to give you an idea of each piece of software.

Erasure of Big Tech

There are organizations out there that have taken the initiative with regard to your privacy and sovereignty, offering us ways to regain our control over the pervasive and progressively authoritarian treatment online. Many of them are completely free (software wise) and some also offer it installed on their own supported hardware.

Alternative operating systems can easily replicate the Windows or Mac user experience, using a wide choice of desktop managers and themes, easily customizable to your tastes.

The most difficult part is changing applications that you are perhaps used to, but there are many compatible open source variants available.

Free doesn't mean lack of features, quite the contrary, you would actually save the cost of subscription fees, as physical ownership no longer exists, the open source options are completely free, with the exclusion of dedicated software support, should you need it. That said, open source often comes with well run and helpful community forums that will answer any questions, and many are well versed towards helping new users adapt to their new surroundings.

Operating Systems

All of my installations on my laptop are based upon Linux. Indeed you'll find that big tech also uses Linux on its servers for its defense against incursions and breakdowns.

It's strange that they don't actually use the very software they promote, don't you think?

Now, I use an aging gaming laptop, and under Linux all of my hardware works perfectly (apart from my built-in web cam) which I'm not bothered about, and an old Samsung tablet with full touch and gesture support built-in.

Garuda Linux (based on Arch Linux) is used mainly for gaming.

KDE Neon and CachyOS, the latter a privacy focussed system, both for day to day use.

They can share the same data and each can be fully customized. When installed they can include many "desktop managers" to try out, each with it's own level of usability, depending on your intended use.

Many Linux "distributions" are extremely easy to install and can also run within a "LiveCD" environment, enabling you to test them on your equipment before committing fully to the installation itself.

It's advisable to try several different ones, such as Linux Mint or Puppy Linux perhaps, and you can also choose the desktop manager layout, such as KDE for a bells and whistles interface or XFCE for a simpler less cluttered interface.

Software

Office can be replaced by either LibreOffice or OpenOffice, which it is based on and both utilize the same layout as Microsoft and is compatible with its Word (.docx) and Exel (.xls) files.

There are also some very capable (and free) video editors, such as Kdenlive or perhaps Davinci Resolve to complete your creative video work - no subscriptions needed here!

Web Browsers

Use either Firefox, or one of its privacy focussed clones, such as Brave. You can use Chromium, which is open source but stay away from Google Chrome at all costs.

Email

I use Proton Mail, which is free for a single account. I do have Gmail accounts (for non important things), which have their emails auto-deleted and forwarded to my Proton box, although eventually Gmail will be cut off entirely.

Online platforms

I'd recommend not using any "apps" such as Facebook or Instagram etc, only use them through a browser to reduce tracking. There are browser plugins available to contain or "sandbox" certain sites such as Facebook, removing the potential of any data leakage.

YouTube is accessible via Freetube or Newpipe, enabling subscriptions (but not comments), or again, use through a secure browser for an ad-free and tracker-less experience.

Microsoft Windows, (from version 11 onwards), pushes for online accounts (not local), although this can be circumvented temporarily, but combined with built-in CoPilot AI, it removes any privacy you had, saving and sending images of your screen (every so many seconds), along with other data, back to Microsoft and their third party partners in crime.

There is already a wave of people jumping ship from Windows because of this move towards increased surveillance. As a side note, it's a good idea to install Linux alongside Windows, and be able to use both systems, at least until you're in a position to completely become Windows free. This is called "dual booting", and is a straight forward step by step process, covered in many videos online. Often, this will be taken care of by the last system you install, but it's worth checking online beforehand. Always perform a backup first!

I've been a user of Microsoft Windows ever since Windows 95 and have paid for pretty much every Windows edition, and in comparison to Linux, there is only one choice with the interface, which is only customizable through the theming options, whereas with Linux you're spoiled for choice, and it will get better the more people that adopt it.

Cell phones

I have a 7 year old Google Pixel phone, bought second hand a few years ago as a backup. The phone quality is great, perhaps on a par with Samsung for it's build quality.

I tried several de-Googled operating systems (or Custom Roms), such as GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, PixelBuilds, and ArrowOS. Over the past 2 years I've used all of these Android based ROMs , some with the proprietary Google services stripped out, and a fake google service to anonymously connect apps to, called MicroG.

I now us e/OS, which is made by a privacy-focused organization called e-foundation and is still being updated, even on my ancient phone, using Android 15 with the latest security updates.

Depending upon your make and model of phone, your experience can vary greatly. If installing a custom ROM seems daunting it's better to buy one already installed from a few hundred dollars upwards. Something like the Fairphones seem quite popular, with good support.

Alternatively, check the above links of ones that I've tried, or the XDA forum for options for your particular model phone.

Iphones are too hardware "closed" to be of any use, unless of course you don't mind being surveilled, as well as those around you.

The "mesh" networks formed by Apple, Amazon and Google connect to every smart device you have, so essentially you are tracked if you use any of their services, using these devices around you, regardless of WiFi coverage or mobile signal, you are still tracked 24/7.

If you are "deGoogled" then you will remain invisible to these networks and your privacy is secure.

I will briefly list down several apps that I use on my phone. Some do have trackers, but these are blocked by default by the system i have installed (e/os), so don't pose any threat.

Magic Earth replaces Google maps.

Aurora Store & F-Droid replace Google Play Store.

Brave, Firefox or Ironfox replace Google Chrome.

(Browser extensions such as uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger can tighten up tracking.)

SlimSocial replaces Facebook & Messenger.

NewPipe replaces YouTube.

(or use Rumble / Odysee as an alternative censor free platform).

I use other apps that I don't think are really worth a mention, but my experience with PayPal and banking apps seems to be good so far. There may be the occasional problem app, but I view it as, is it worth losing your security to have a particular app when a workaround is usually possible - through a browser for example.

My final thoughts on the above, stem from the very fact that we pay for the phones and the services that we own and use, and the choice should be ours to make how we wish to use our own equipment and what services we wish to use. The idea that any government, or corporation for that matter, should require us to install an app or subscribe to a service seems completely ludicrous.

Our data was once protected and we had choice over its use, whereas now it seems that we are expected not just to hand over every piece of information, every detail, to complete strangers, but we are no longer entitled to a choice in the matter.

I fear for the younger generation when it comes to what is being forced upon them and the level of control they'll likely face in the future. Taking back what little freedom and privacy we have left and standing against the centralized regimes that are pushing for authoritarian credit systems and carbon taxes. Locking the population into tighter control mechanisms, where the only narrative is theirs and owning nothing is the norm.

When the justice system is used against people of all ages and abilities, for voicing concern over Facebook or peacefully protesting about genocide, or for blowing the whistle over government complicity, we all have choices available to us.

This article is nowhere near complete and will be updated as and when I get the time, or other developments come up that require it to be updated with better information. I may add a permanent menu placement for a dedicated page in the near future, for the purpose of guiding people through the process of better privacy.

I'm not a linux expert so please check for info from better sources online. I will however offer help to anyone that needs assistance deciding which system to choose, as there are many options freely available.