Breaking Up With Big Tech

In the last article I promised you that we’ll explore free and open-source software (FOSS) alternatives. In order to do that, you need to understand the difference between open-source software, and mainstream, proprietary software.

Open-source software relies on community collaboration. It's often free, and developed transparently. Anyone can view, modify, download and distribute the code. It can also be run on any number of devices. Bug fixes and patches are driven by the community, though fixes may only be provided by a few individuals. However, ease of use depends on how much beginner-friendly documentation is offered by the community. Inexperienced users may have difficulty navigating some open-source software, especially if it is something they have to figure out how to install without the simple click of a button.

In contrast, proprietary software is privately owned and controlled by a closed entity. It is not typically distributed with its source code, and the code usually cannot be viewed or modified by users. You often need to purchase the program to use it, though it doesn't always come with a cost, and you're limited in how you can install it. Installation may be limited to one machine, or you may need to purchase additional copies of a software to run it on more than one device. Any updates or patches are provided exclusively by the private publisher and they can simply decide to stop supporting the software and offering fixes. 

Part of the main appeal in proprietary software is usability. It’s developed with a mainstream user base in mind. Installation is usually a straightforward and simplified process requiring a single button push. This is ideal for users who are not as familiar with compiling programs from source code repositories, where software code is stored and managed. A larger, dependent audience has allowed many companies who develop popular software to take advantage of user data. 

Some companies utilize the money they get from selling their software to fund a fascist agenda. You might already be aware of how your data is harvested and the nefarious purposes your money is used for by some proprietary software companies. The next step is choosing an alternative. It’s easy to feel stuck! The good news is that you don’t have to throw your phone into a river and move off-grid to reclaim a little privacy. 

When a certain popular music platform started running ICE recruitment ads, the conversation about making the switch to alternative platforms reached a more mainstream audience. It was no longer a conversation solely dominated by tech bros looking to cut off Big Tech from siphoning their individual data. The conversation started to include more individuals who might not be privacy hounds in their day-to-day lives. Instead, many users were simply interested in revoking their support from platforms funding hate. 

If the topic of making the switch from mainstream platforms has reached your social circle, you are one of these users! Your friends might all have different opinions on what constitutes the best alternative service. 

There are a lot of different options when switching between applications. So which one should you pick? I can’t give you a perfect list of the best applications to switch to, because “best” is subjective. The truth is that what application you prefer to use is going to vary. You might enjoy the layout of one app over another, or the social aspect in making connections or having a follower count. You might be looking at the cost of a subscription-based service and prefer a free alternative. 

Why Should I Make the Switch?

Making a switch to free and open source software is a good way to start taking control of your data. You don’t have to become a cybersecurity expert overnight. Every small switch is one less piece of yourself handed over to companies that see you as data first and a person second. Anyone can look into the software and study how it works, which makes good developers take the quality of their software seriously, as they’re often pushed toward greater transparency and accountability. There’s no concern that free features might go paid in the future. You can donate to a lot of these projects, but you won’t be forced to pay for a feature. 

A lot of people only start caring about their privacy after something goes wrong and find themselves blindsided. A hacked account, a stalker, a targeted ad that feels too personal, a company selling user data, or a platform suddenly changing its rules overnight. The dangers of relying on proprietary software can leave a deep impact, and hit every area of your life, from your personal information being leaked to your bank account being drained with subscriptions that just keep increasing in price. Think of Amazon’s decision to add advertisements for Prime users, charging customers even more to watch ad-free. These are just a few reasons to make the switch.

As queer people we have a history of winding up targets of scrutiny and investigation when political climates turn hostile. Many of us are out here protesting for our rights and the rights of others. If an arrest occurs, you need to make sure your data is safe. Common advice is to not bring your personal phone with you to a protest, or to use a burner phone. That isn’t always accessible advice for every person who seeks to show up at a protest, but a micro step like changing the apps you use and limiting what those apps have access to, may help to protect you and protect your data from falling into the wrong hands. 

The standards that each person has for picking their apps are different according to what feature one wants to prioritize. I value privacy and ease of use, so my alternative list looks like this: 

Browser: Mullvad Browser, Waterfox

Mullvad’s browser is privacy-focused and developed in collaboration between Mullvad VPN and the Tor Project. I choose to use Mullvad on my personal computer. Waterfox is the browser of choice when I’m surfing the web on my phone. It doesn’t employ telemetry, the automated collection and transmission of user data. That means fewer silent reports being sent back to the company about how you use your browser. It also offers protection against trackers.

Don’t expect anything to ever be 100% private, or private forever. There isn’t a magic browser that will protect you all of the time in every instance. You also have to know not to click on random links and shady advertisements and to opt out of cookies. 

Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a user's device by web browsers as a way to remember visitors and track browsing activity. If you’re unsure what cookies a webpage needs from you, the safe bet is to select “required only” when asked, or “reject all” if that’s an option and not “Allow All.” 

Media Player: VLC

VLC is lightweight, reliable, and doesn’t try to turn watching a video into a data-harvesting opportunity. This specific media player came about as a free way to watch all the different video standards, and I’ve used it for about 20 years. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

Password Manager: KeePass

You can keep your KeePass database on a USB-C drive, which allows you to plug it in wherever you need it. That way, you can access the same database everywhere and it works offline, on every device you need it to, all the time. Of course, you need to be careful not to lose the thumb drive or have it stolen. As long as you keep the drive secure and maintain backups, your passwords are safely backed up, no third party service or risk of a website going down or having your passwords leaked in a server breach. LastPass, I'm looking at you. 

YouTube: LibreTube

This wonderful, privacy-focused, ad-free alternative to YouTube has a lot of features like picture-in-picture, the ability to download videos, and allows users to listen to videos in the background. 

Google Authenticator: FreeOTP

It does what it needs to, and your information isn’t stored on Google’s servers. It doesn't lock your keys into a proprietary ecosystem. You own your data entirely on your device. 

VPN: Mullvad VPN

I just don’t want my Internet Service Provider to have open access to my web traffic, and I can pay month-by-month for this VPN with crypto. I don’t even need to log in, I just hit “generate account number” and I’m golden. An account number is the only identifier you need to use their VPN.

Messenger: Signal Private Messenger

Everything on Signal is end-to-end encrypted by default. The app features built-in protection when you receive messages from unknown numbers and you can block and delete the messages without the sender knowing it went through. It also offers vanishing messages. Messages, calls, and files are encrypted, only the participants have the keys to decrypt them. Signal can’t access those messages and they don’t keep call logs, or store your contacts. They can’t, for example, share data with law enforcement that they never had in the first place. 

Zoom: Jitsi

While you can set up a private video conference room directly through meet.jit.si, those who are focused on privacy and improved performance will want to set up their own Jitsi server. I currently have my eyes on Jami as another alternative because all communications are peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted. However, according to its user base there are still issues that need ironed out before it’s ready to be used as a video conferencing software. It’s still good to be aware of Jami as an option if you plan to keep your video calls limited to a few people. 

Discord: Matrix

Matrix features decentralized, secure communication. You need to sign up for an account with a provider, like Matrix.org. There are many clients to choose from. Think of a client in this sense like a software skin, similar to picking between a light and dark theme on your other apps. The client you pick changes how you interact with the software. A popular Matrix client is Element and if you end up signing up through Matrix.org, you’ll be introduced to Element. Matrix allows users to bridge services. This means that you can interact with a Discord or Slack group from within Matrix. While it’s a bit more complicated, you can also host your own Matrix server with Synapse.

Music Streaming: The one FOSS alternative I don’t have to offer you

A mobile FOSS alternative to Spotify with a clean interface and all features in working order that’s easy to just download and use on your phone and suggest to your friends isn’t the easiest thing to find. Self-hosted options like Navidrome or Jellyfin can be great for tech-savvy users, but they aren’t exactly beginner-friendly. Instead, I opt for Deezer on the go. It isn’t Open Source Software, but it is an alternative if you don’t want to give Spotify your money to run their ICE recruitment ads. I hear that some people rip their media directly from the source or torrent what they need. 

This is just a handful of mostly FOSS alternatives to replace your library of proprietary software. If you’re looking for a search engine, I recommend DuckDuckGo, which is largely (but not entirely) built with Free and Open-Source Software. DDG doesn't store your search history or track users across the web. 

Didn’t Find the Right Fit? Don’t Stop Here!

Some of these tools might not be to your liking, or might not be available on your operating system. You can use opensourcealternative.to to find other open source alternatives that you might prefer or enjoy the layout of. Let my list be a starting point for you. There are even alternatives to the Notes app you use on your phone, and your built-in keyboard!  

None of these tools are perfect silver bullets, but they’re meaningful steps toward reducing how much of your digital life gets harvested and monetized and they could be an additional step that serves to keep you safe. What do you think, are you ready to try out some new apps?

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