I’ve been minimizing my dependence on big platforms like Google, Amazon, and Meta in the last few years, because I want to be mindful of my daily interactions with modern society. It sounds philosophical, but I think even minor decisions and daily interactions can reflect our agency as individuals.
If you are interested in my experience, please continue with this article or jump to the platform of your interest.
Cancel Amazon Prime
A couple of years ago, I realized I only used Amazon Prime for one or two purchases a month, on average. This did not justify the cost of the Prime subscription, and I subsequently cancelled it. After that, I proved that I could survive without Prime with the privilege of living in NYC.
I then started paying closer attention to my use of Google, Meta, Netflix, and other dominant platforms. I enjoyed the convenience brought by them, but as a data scientist, I knew that collecting my data and interactions are part of their business model. Gradually, I began uprooting myself from those dominant platforms, because I wanted to experiment with my independence and privacy.
Off Netflix
I used to be a fan of Netflix’s shows, including The Crown and Mindhunter. However, due to competition between different streaming platforms and the declining quality of Netflix’s original programming, I struggled to find good shows or movies on Netflix. I even wrote multiple posts about this. (See also: Get out of mainstream and personalized movie recommendation.)
My household is currently subscribed to Max and Hulu (free subscription through the Spotify deal), and we are satisfied with it. When possible, I also prioritize theater experiences over streaming, so we have a membership at Metrograph.
Unfortunately, the recent news about Netflix acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery makes me quite worried that the movie theater experience will change over time. The entertainment industry will be further consolidated, and Netflix is likely to deprioritize Warner Bros. Discovery’s theater-centered business; Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, even said:
“I believe it (theatrical moviegoing) is an outdated idea, for most people—not for everybody.”
Delete Instagram
As a millennial and an immigrant, I used to rely on Instagram to keep track of friends’ life updates. Even though I’ve been annoyed by excessive advertisements in recent years, I hesitated to delete Instagram due to FOMO — I don’t want to miss out on family and friends’ updates when I’m already so far away from them.
Nevertheless, Instagram gradually became unusable in the last year or so, since my feeds were full of commercials and short-form content and I could barely dig out posts from my actual friends. The recommendation systems of social media sites like Instagram and Rednote have also been meticulously trained and optimized to keep me doomscrolling as long as possible, which I’m vulnerable to. It is awful to experience guilt, anger, restlessness, and shame whenever I mindlessly spend an hour on those platforms.
Therefore, I decided to change my approach to keeping up with friends: I deleted Instagram from my phone; when I miss my friends or their names occur to me, I text them and ask for their updates.
I have deleted my Instagram for over a year by now, and I love it. I enjoy 1-on-1 quality time with people I care about (ideally in person) more than virtual likes.
Minimize Google
Before I explain what I did to minimize my Google usage, I have to admit it’s very hard—and I drafted this article in a Google Doc.
Search
I cannot switch from Google to alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo and Brave. When I enter a query on a search engine, 80% of the time I’m looking for some quick and convenient results like the URL to a website. I think DuckDuckGo or Brave can get me there, but it might take twice as much time for me to go through the top results and find my answer.
For example, when I want to check the open hours of my gym, I only need 10 seconds to get the answer on Google search, but I might need 1 minute to find the same information on DuckDuckGo.
However, I’ve spent more time asking ChatGPT or Gemini questions instead of using Google. AI is taking a significant share of user attention from traditional search engines.
Gmail
I migrated my key personal email from Gmail to Proton in early 2024 as a step to minimize exposure of my privacy to big platforms.
I debated with myself (and friends) for a while before I started migration: even if I move to Proton, Google still knows what I’m sending to other Gmails, and Apple controls my phone. Does migrating to Proton really bring me more agency?
Eventually, I realized I could only change what’s in my control and comfort level, which means migrating out of Gmail is manageable—but using a phone operating outside of Apple or Google is not feasible.
Proton is not as powerful or user friendly as Gmail or Microsoft Outlook, but I’m happy that I have the option to choose.
Chrome
I stopped using Chrome a few years ago, and have been using Firefox on my laptop since then. Unlike search or email, I didn’t experience any discomfort with the switch. Firefox plus any extension I need is sufficient for my work and life. I’d say this is the easiest part of this journey.
Conclusion
Cutting back on the major platforms over the years has helped me view products from a different perspective and become more aware of my real needs. Living in a time when almost everything can be handled` via a smartphone, I encourage everyone to experiment with a more mindful approach to apps.
In a future post, I will continue with this topic and deep dive into Google Analytics and Gemini.