Getting Away from Big Tech: A Guide to Community-Centered Digital Alternatives

• Growing awareness of the socio-environmental and democratic harms caused by Big Tech has led to an increased search for transparent, privacy-respecting alternatives.
• Organizations like APC, May First, and the Progressive Technology Project are promoting an autonomous, community-centered technology ecosystem through campaigns like "Rise Against Big Tech."
• Transitioning away from mainstream platforms is a complex process dependent on individual lived realities, requiring a balance between ethical choice and practical utility.

Digital Service Alternatives

• Email: ProtonMail and Riseup for secure accounts; Thunderbird as a mail client.
• Cloud and Collaboration: Nextcloud for storage; Cryptpad, OnlyOffice, Etherpad lite, and Teamtype for collaborative editing and office tasks.
• Communication: Jitsi Meet and Big Blue Button for online meetings; Signal for secure messaging; MatterMost and Zulip for team-based chat.
• Web and Social Media: WordPress and Drupal for site building; Firefox or Tor Browser for secure navigation; PeerTube as a YouTube alternative; Mastodon and Bluesky for decentralized social media.

Digital Security and Infrastructure

• Infrastructure: May First provides hosting, email, and collaboration services to support independent digital ecosystems.
• Security Tools: KeePassXC for password management; RiseupVPN for browsing security; Deflect (by eQualitie) for protecting websites against digital attacks.
• Support and Education: The Areopagítica platform offers digital security helpdesks for journalists and activists, while APC provides resources like the "Internet shutdown game" to train communities on counteracting connectivity blocks.