The Rise Against Big-Tech
You Are the Product
You have just signed a contract to buy a new car. The car is all yours now. But as you get in, the salesman comes over and starts putting an advert for fairy liquid on your windscreen. You say "woah hang on, what are you doing, this car is mine!". The salesperson says: "oh yeah sorry, the contract you signed says that we own the right to put up any adverts we like on your window. The adverts we can put up range from shopping items to voting for a specific candidate."
This is a perfect analogy to how Microsoft, Google, Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and others are using your data.
Have you heard of the famous quote: If it's free or cheap, you are the product.
The Facebook Example
I will use Facebook as an example in the following self-debate, but the same principles apply to Google, Microsoft and others.
What's the harm if I'm using Facebook for free, I just have to endure a few advertisements...
Initially, it started with a few adverts for products based on your interests - but this grew into creating an internet user profile about you. Based on this information, they can now tailor specific political messages to sway your opinion in voting for a specific candidate. Take an example: you search for prenatal vitamins, Facebook then categorises you as "expecting parent," and a political campaign could later use that profile to serve you ads falsely claiming their opponent plans to cut funding for paediatric healthcare.
But why on earth would Facebook or other big tech companies want to do that?
Facebook is a company like any other - it cares about its own interests and profit. Facebook has a vast market share in search, advertising, and data, and is constantly under scrutiny from governments regarding antitrust laws, data privacy regulations, and potential break-up efforts. By supporting candidates who are more favourable to a light-touch regulatory approach, Facebook can actively shape a political and legal environment that allows its business model to continue with minimal government interference.
While traditional sectors like oil, gas, and coal were historically central to national wealth and power, their influence is inherently limited. The tech industry, by contrast, not only generates substantial revenue but also wields extensive influence through its global reach and control over information.
So What Can We Do?
But what can we do... large tech companies are everywhere... I can't just turn off technology and hide under a rock...
You're right! The reason I personally got into tech is because I love the creative side of technology - building machines, upgrading parts, coding product ideas into usable solutions that help people. The last 5 years of my career was helping participants with specific medical conditions take part in genetic trials for a health-tech start-up in Cambridge. It is awesome using tech for good!
The good news is that you have more choices than you might realise. Many of these alternatives go unnoticed because they lack big advertising budgets - or because large tech companies work hard to suppress or "buy out" the competition. While open-source software can technically be sold, its licenses ensure that the code itself remains free to use, share, and modify. That's where open-source alternatives come in: they're designed to stay open, transparent, and independent from corporate control.
Hang on a minute... you just said free is bad because I become the product...
Open-source developers are individuals who build software in their own time, driven by passion rather than profit. Think of them as the digital equivalent of volunteers at a community charity shop - people who freely give their skills to help others. Motivated by curiosity, collaboration, and the desire to make technology accessible, these generous creators have contributed countless hours to the tech community. Their projects often become powerful, reliable alternatives to products offered by major tech companies. The code is open for anyone to inspect, and they do not target users with ads.
What's Coming in This Series
Over the next set of related articles, I will be providing alternative options to each popular platform including:
🧠 Productivity & Work - Microsoft Word/Excel, Google Drive, Google Keep, Google Calendar, Google Translate, Google Chrome...
🖥️ Operating Systems - Windows and Mac
🌐 Communication & Social - Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X...
🤖 AI & Assistance - ChatGPT, Gemini...
🗺️ Navigation & Tools - Google Maps, Waze...
The main takeaway I would like to share is the joy in the journey of exploring and experimenting with different options that work best for your own needs.
This article was NOT written with AI.
