I've decided to make some significant changes in my digital life. I've taken the plunge and am rooting out most US-based services from my usage list. This includes canceling all my streaming subscriptions, putting my Reddit account in cold storage, and deleting my Twitter accounts. Additionally, I'm in the process of removing my presence from Meta platforms. This shift is part of my effort to simplify and re-evaluate my online habits and dependencies.
One of the primary reasons for this change is the importance of bolstering the EU economy. By supporting European companies and services, I believe we can foster innovation and growth within our own region. This not only strengthens our economic independence but also encourages the development of solutions tailored to our specific needs and values.
In my exploration of EU-based alternatives, I've found that while they may be slightly more expensive, they often offer superior technology and usability. The focus on quality, privacy, and user experience in many European products aligns with my personal values and expectations. By investing in these solutions, I'm not only supporting local businesses but also benefiting from advanced and reliable services.
This transition is about more than just personal preference; it's about contributing to a stronger, more self-sufficient European digital landscape. I'm excited to continue discovering and integrating more EU-based services into my daily life.
Despite the costs and effort needed to make this change, I would like to encourage and motivate everyone else considering doing the same. It will undoubtedly be tough for a while, but if we push forward together, it will be better for all of us in the end. Let's support each other in this journey towards a more independent and innovative digital future.
Your journey and motivation is looking a lot like mine. I deleted my twitter account, frozen my meta accounts and canceled most of the streaming subscriptions. Currently looking into the email problem of leaving Gmail behind... Probably it will be tuta + a NAS for file storage to replace gdrive. I used Arc for the browser, I really love it's UX so I have been trying to move to Zen Browser, however they have issues with 1password (not sure if I'll move from this service) and it doesn't sync like Arc does (for now).
I'm curious I still don't really understand element/matrix.... Does it communicate with the other messaging services? I'm trying to push more people around me to use Signal (but yeah... It's the same old story of no one using it so people to use it)
Did you went for freeNAS for the Google photos replacement? Do you have a way to auto sync your photos on the phone to your photos in your server?
Good luck ๐ซก
I went for the Proton Suite for email/cloud/password management solutions!
Got a 25% off the 2 year plan (might still be available) and i CANNOT recommend it enough.
The day I was about to go for proton was the same day the news about the CEO comments came out... It's that strange balance... It has a lot of the features I want to replace from Gmail but... Now I'm not sure if it would be much better than Google if the government decided they wanted to look at my emails. That said it's still better for my money to go to a EU company.
like i said in my post, EU solutions are somewhat behind on its development, but the core tennants seem to be much better than their EU counterparts.
There will be limitations and cumbersome situations, but i was there when gmail started and it was absolute garbage... People using it, commiting to it, gave them the userbase and funds to develop their solutions.
my issue is not the development, I think in terms of features it has mostly what I want. The issue is their CEO. But then again, it is controlled by a foundation ... so yeah... just some blurry waters there
I see...
Well, opting for a solution rather than other is mostly a personal decisison.
You need to weight the pros and cons for yourself.