This is a continuation of Disengage. To read the first part, go here. To read the second part, go here. Or download the whole EPUB or PDF and worksheets! You don't have to enter your email and you won't be tracked. Just click and go (and please share)!
Step 1: Decide what you need
“Storage is cheap!” we say as we upload masses of files. And now, if you’re like I was, you have hundreds or thousands of files in Drive you don’t really need. For example, I had saved every single filefrom the last 25+ years of my career.
What do you really need to have hanging around in Google Drive? For me, it was important personal projects, the last two years’ worth of client work, and projects I was working on right then.
Do you really need to hang on to 10-year-old resumes, background files from work projects long past, and every draft of your novel? Be ruthless in your choices.
Step 2: Delete large files
n Drive, click Storage and sort the files by size, from biggest to smallest. Are there any large videos, images, or other files that you don’t need sucking up a lot of space? Trash them.
To declutter even more, click Storage and then Clean Up Space to see files in Drive, Google Photos, and Gmail that Google recommends you delete.
Step 3: Ditch duplicate files
Duplicate files can be a big culprit in hogging your storage space. If you’re on Android, Google provides an easy solution:
Open Files by Google.
Tap the menu, then Clean.
On the Duplicate files card, tap Select files.
Select the files you want to delete. The original file is marked with an Original badge.
Click Move # file(s) to Trash.
On the pop-up, tap Move # file(s) to Trash.
TRY IT NOW
Spend 5 minutes decluttering your Google Drive!
Step 4: Manually trash unneeded files
Now that you know which files are crucial and which are not, delete all the deadwood. This is a very satisfying task.
Step 5: Transfer old (but important) files to a different service
If you have lots of files you want to keep, but you no longer need to share or collaborate on, transfer them to a privacy-forward Google Drive alternative such as Proton Drive or Sia (for the more tech-savvy among us).
Step 6: Move files to an external hard drive
Finally, I copied all the files from Proton Drive to an external hard drive; the most important of these files I also keep on my laptop. I store the hard drive in a fireproof safe and upload new files to it monthly.
Step 7: Empty the trash
Drive does this automatically every 30 days, but in the meantime your trashed files may be taking up a lot of space.
MORE WAYS TO DISENGAGE FROM GOOGLE
You didn’t really think you were done, did you? Here are two more ways to keep Google from tracking your every move.
TURN OFF GOOGLE TRACKING
If quitting without Google products is a no-go for you, visit the company’s Data & Privacy page to choose who is allowed to see your personal information, tell Google not to track your browsing history, turn off personalized ads, and more. Also disable Google’s tracking on your Android devices, Nest thermostat, and other Google gadgets.
OPT OUT OF GOOGLE ANALYTICS
Google Analytics is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic. Website owners can look at their Google Analytics dashboard to find out their visitors' IP addresses, locations, devices, visit lengths, browser settings, and more. The platform does this by using tags on the websites that run in visitors’ web browsers, collecting their data and sending it to Google's data collection servers.
If you want to prevent Google Analytics from using your data, take advantage of the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge browsers.
TRY IT NOW
Get this browser add-on!
CHAPTER 22: SAY AU REVOIR TO AMAZON
Amazon lures and then locks in consumers with low prices, which it accomplishes by squeezing its producers—creating an environment where the producers have to squeeze their employees in order to keep prices low.
Once it has a critical mass of consumers, Amazon cuts out the product providers altogether by copying their products, enticing creators to work directly with Amazon, and using its commercial power to bully, buy up, or kill other businesses.
For example, when the founders of Diapers.com wouldn’t sell, Amazon started offering deep discounts and free shipping on diapers, dropping its price every time Diapers.com did until the smaller business gave in. Once Amazon bought Diapers.com, it closed the company down.
This leaves us with few choices for where to purchase crucial products, stripped-out common spaces where local companies have been run out of business, and no limits on how badly Amazon can treat its customers and employees. Not only that, but people have been complaining that the products they’re receiving from Amazon these days are either of shoddy quality or straight-up counterfeits. I’m not talking about luxury items here, but basic items like face lotion and board games.
“But the prices are so low!” we say. Not so: Even Amazon’s premise of ultra-low prices is a sham. According to Cory Doctorow in his Plura-list newsletter:
If you trust Amazon search to find you the best product and click that first link, you will pay a 29% premium for that item. If you expand your selection to [...] the first four items, which are often all that's visible without scrolling—you'll pay an average of 25% more. That top row accounts for 64% of Amazon's clicks. On average, the best deal on Amazon is found in the seventeenth slot in the search results. Seventeen!
For some of us, Amazon is essential; for example, people who live in rural areas or who don’t have reliable transportation benefit from fast delivery of products they need. But others have the luxury of considering Amazon products wants instead of needs.
HOW TO STOP SHOPPING ON AMAZON
If you’re among the latter, here’s how to free yourself from Amazon shopping.
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...RESETTING YOUR EXPECTATIONS
Amazon has trained us to expect near-instant delivery of everything we want. Decide your coffee mugs looking shabby? Just one click and a sparkling new set will be delivered to your home today.
Retrain yourself to wait a little longer for what you want. A smaller shop may have slower shipping, but that’s OK—learn to look ahead instead of racing to Amazon whenever you suddenly want something. You also may have to wait a few days until you have a chance to visit a brick-and-mortar store for that plant stand or battery recharger; this will give you the time to consider whether you really need one in the first place, or whether you might be able to find one through your local Buy Nothing group.
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...CANCELLING PRIME
The next step is to cancel your Prime subscription. (Remember this means you’ll also lose access to Prime Video movies and TV shows.) Think about it: Outside of a few perks you probably don’t need, your Prime subscription is essentially you pre-paying for your own shipping. (You’re not spending $139 for free shipping, you’re paying $139 for shipping.)
This means you’re not giving up much in terms of savings when you quit Prime. “Recall that Amazon already comps shipping on orders over $25, so a potential Prime purchaser has to evaluate whether they'll place enough sub-$25 orders in the coming year to justify the price—and also factor in the fact that Prime items are often more expensive on a per-unit basis than their non-Prime equivalents,” writes Doctorow. [The minimum has since been raised to $35.]
TRY IT NOW
I double-dare you!
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...KNOWING YOUR ENEMY
Amazon isn’t just Amazon. They also own companies like:
Zappos
Goodreads
PillPack, a pharmacy
One Medical
Whole Foods
Ring LLC (the smart doorbell company)
Twitch, the streaming video platform for gamers
Wondery, a podcast publisher and network
iRobot, makers of the Roomba, which Bloomberg calls “a data collection machine that comes with a vacuum.”
Audible, the audiobook store
Here’s an infographic that names every business owned by Amazon as of June 2022. If you know a business is owned by Amazon…look elsewhere.
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...LOOKING AROUND TOWN
Explore your downtown and other local shopping centers. You may be surprised at what you find. My town has a sew-n-vac store, a woodworking shop, and other gems I never noticed before.
Your neighbors may also be good sources of products you want; for example, I have neighbors who sell cakes, handmade signs, and more.
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...GOING DIRECT TO THE SOURCE
Many shops sell their wares both on Amazon and on their own websites. (Sadly, Amazon prohibits sellers from charging lower prices off its platform, which raises prices everywhere.)
See something you want on Amazon? Go directly to the manufacturer’s website. I’ve been able to buy specialty vitamins, jar labels, bakery boxes, vacuum parts, specialty flour, and more right from the producer.
I may give up free shipping, in which case I sometimes wait until I need enough from the seller to reach the free shipping level. (Also recall that Prime shipping isn’t really free!)
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...GOING WHERE THE PROS GO
Another idea is to buy in bulk from specialty shops. I’ve bought five-pound bags of sesame seeds from BulkFoods.com for less than $25, including shipping. (Amazon does not beat this price, even with “free” shipping.)
From WebstaurantStore I’ve bought cases of coffee flavoring syrup for $6.39 per bottle plus shipping. (The cheapest on Amazon is $14 per bottle. That’s more than twice as much!)
WebstarauntStore also offers dishware, coffee makers, food storage supplies, baking ingredients, condiments, table décor, and much more. You don’t have to buy multiples of everything, but it’s cheaper if you do; for example, one 20 oz French coffee press is $8.99, but they’re only $7.99 each in lots of 12.
If you need a lot of something—or can split it with friends—bulk and wholesale shops like these are the places to go.
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES
If you’re still on social media at this point, ask around for suggestions on where else to buy that missing keyboard key, set of food storage containers, or baby bib.
Rolling Stone ran an article in December 2024 on 13 Amazon alternatives for your holiday shopping. Here are the best from their list:
REI
Thrive Market
Hive
Grove
Huckleberry
Public Goods
World Market
Chewy
Uncommon Goods
Visit the article for more details on (and links for) each of these shops.
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...GETTING CREATIVE
Whenever you need something you know you can’t find locally, see if it’s available from a smaller company online. When I wanted a unique gift for a friend who is an incredible host, I found handmade serving trays created from recycled wine bottles at Uncommon Goods. I’ve also bought memorial trees, homemade brownies, and other goodies sold by smaller companies online.
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...LOOKING FOR VISITING A WAREHOUSE STORE
Sometimes we just want to buy socks, shampoo, or AA batteries and don’t want to search all over town for them. Costco is my go-to for times like this.
I used to recommend big-box stores like Target and Walmart, but they’re on my no-go list now due to their business practices, plus Target’s quick decision to demolish its DEI initiatives in January 2025.
Costco has committed to keeping its DEI program, and as of this writing they pay entry-level workers $20 per hour and higher-level workers $30+ per hour. According to NPR, “The chain's pay is among the highest in retail, which has helped Costco maintain a lower turnover rate than most rivals.”
STOP SHOPPING AT AMAZON BY...GETTING WHAT YOU NEED FOR FREE
Freecycle, Craigslist, and your local Buy Nothing group (which also has an app) are places where people give away everything from moving boxes to furniture to appliances. On my local Freecycle I found, among other items, a soft-sided dog crate, a working refrigerator, and a landscape painting. Many people offer items when they’re in declutter mode and don’t want to bother listing a bunch of things for sale.
TRY IT NOW
Download the Buy Nothing app or join Freecycle!
HOW TO STOP BUYING BOOKS FROM AMAZON
Amazon may be best known for its bookstore, brimming with not only print books but also e-books and audiobooks (through Audible). Amazon sells titles from big-name authors and self-published writers alike.
Sadly, though, the company is also harmful to the book publishing industry, squeezing creators and publishers while making it difficult for them to sell elsewhere.
If you’re tired enough of Amazon’s shenanigans to kick them to the curb, there are ways to keep reading without Amazon, Kindle, or Audible.
USE ANOTHER E-READER
If you use a Kindle e-reader, you’re stuck buying e-books from Amazon. That’s because Amazon supports only its proprietary AZW e-book files, and doesn’t allow you to load files in other formats.
Let me just repeat that you bought and own a reading device, but have no control over what you can read on it. Amazon has made this seem normal, but it’s not.
All is not lost! You could always keep your Kindle books on your Kindle and then start a new collection on another e-reader. It may not be the very most convenient option if you like to reread books frequently, but if you’re mostly “once and done,” you won’t need to pull out the Kindle too often.
Ready to find a new e-reader? Here are some Kindle alternatives that let you read a variety of file formats.
Kobo supports EPUB, EPUB2, EPUB3, PDF, FlePub, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, and CBZ and CBR Comic Book formats.
Onyx Boox e-readers support these file formats: TXT, HTML, RTF, FB2, FB2.zip, FB3, DOC, DOCX, PRC, MOBI, CHM, PDB, EPUB, JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, PDF, DjVu, MP3, WAV, CBR, and CBZ. Check out their feature-comparison chart.
Within these brands, you’ll find everything from e-ink devices similar to the Kindle Paperwhite to backlit e-readers, and even color e-ink screens.
They come in different sizes, typically have a long battery life, and some of them let you mark up books with a stylus or your fingers. Apps that let you read across devices, speakers for audiobooks, and the ability to borrow from libraries make many of these e-readers very convenient.
A few are even water resistant or waterproof, for those of us who like to read in the bath.
Once you have an e-reader that lets you read all kinds of files, it opens up a whole world of small and independent online booksellers. Try sites like:
Bookshop.org is known for selling print books with proceeds going to your favorite independent bookstore. In February 2025 they developed a platform for independent shops to sell e-books. Right now you can read e-books only online or in the Bookshop.org app, but according to their website, “We are working with Kobo to support Kobo devices later [in 2025].”
Smashwords, which offers nearly one million original e-books, including about 100,000 free ones each day. These are mainly Digital Rights Management-free EPUB files, which means you won’t see many of the traditionally published books that you’ll find in bookstores.
Project Gutenberg, which mostly publishes works in the public domain.
e-books.com, one of the world’s oldest and largest sellers of e-books. Here is a list of supported e-readers. Or read their e-books on their app, or on your computer using the free Adobe Digital Editions software.
Author and publisher sites. Some sell DRM-free books that work on an array of devices. For example, Tor Books and Baen are publishers to look at for sci-fi and fantasy. Author Cory Doctorow sells all his e-books and audiobooks DRM-free.
Once you get used to a new way of sourcing and reading e-books, you’ll never want to give your hard-earned book money to Amazon again.
KICK AUDIBLE TO THE CURB
Not only is Audible an Amazon company…it doesn’t let libraries lend its Audible Exclusive titles, limiting access to some major books. Here are some better options.
Libro.fm provides access to audiobooks from over 2,500 partner bookstores. You get to pick a local bookstore to support with your purchases.
Everand charges $11.99 per month for access to audiobooks as well as e-books, magazines, newspapers, and more—adding up to millions of works. There are monthly limits for certain e-books and audiobooks, but otherwise it’s an all-you-can-read situation.
Chirp lets you escape subscription fees; after all, why is it considered a given that we have to subscribe for audiobook access while we can purchase e-books and physical books individually? Chirp has limited-time deals on select audiobooks plus low everyday pricing for everything else.
LibriVox offers free audiobooks of public domain works read by volunteers from all over the world.
With alternatives like these, you won’t lose much (or anything) by ousting Audible.
SHOP AT INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES
You think they’re gone, but they’re not. Scrappy brick-and-mortar independent bookstores have popped up in many cities in defiance of Amazon and big-box bookstores. Not to mention, we still have big-box booksellers like Barnes & Noble.
A search on Indiebound found eight independent bookstores within 20 miles of my zip code. Just enter your city or zip to see what’s available near you. Some of them even ship books. The one I shop at has excellent customer service, shipping, and a loyalty program offering a generous discount.
If you prefer to buy your physical books online, try Powell’s Books, the world’s largest independent bookseller, or Bookshop.org, where every purchase on the site financially supports an independent bookstore of your choice.
Another shop to consider is Thriftbooks, an online store that specializes in used books. They get their books in bulk from libraries, thrift stores, and other sources.
GO TO THE LIBRARY
Many libraries lend not just print books, but e-books and audiobooks as well. The number and variety of these formats varies depending on how large your library is and where it’s located.
TRY IT NOW
Find your library log-in or create a new one!
The easiest way to find and borrow e-books and audiobooks is to download the Libby app. Your library’s website may also have a catalog; when you find a book you’d like to borrow, check the book’s description page to see which formats it’s available in.
TRY IT NOW
Download the Libby app!
CHAPTER 23: SAY ARRIVEDERCI TO APPLE
You may divide the world into “Mac people” and “PC people,” but that’s because Apple and Microsoft use monopolistic practices to make their systems and applications seem like the default. This excerpt from an NPR overview of a 2020 House Democrat report says it all:
The report says Apple exerts "monopoly power" in the mobile app store market by favoring its own apps and disadvantaging rivals.
That dominance hurts innovation and increases prices and choices for consumers, House investigators found.
Apple, along with Google in its Google Play store, leaves developers with little choice for reaching consumers, the report says, adding that the arrangement leaves developers at the whims of the "arbitrary" enforcement of Apple's app guidelines.
The report found that the controversial 30% commission levied by Apple and Google has resulted in price increases on consumers. Investigators say that Apple generated billions of dollars in profit from the fees, despite costing about less than $100 million to operate.
Not only that, Apple has been accused of violating labor laws—and while the company touts its privacy practices, a security researcher and developer claimed Apple apps collect and send data even if you declined to give consent for them to do so.
More recently, according to Forbes.com, Apple “has been secretly working with SpaceX and T-Mobile US Inc. to add support for the Starlink network in its latest iPhone software, providing an alternative to the company’s in-house satellite-communication service.” If you’re one of those people who prefer not to give money to Elon Musk, then this is more incentive for you to avoid Apple products.
FInally, in February 2025, Apple said it will remove Advanced Data Protection for UK customers after the government demanded access to user data stored in iCloud. Who’s to say it won’t happen elsewhere?
To be fair, Apple is defending its DEI program—but seeing as how CEO Tim Cook was among those kissing the ring at the President’s inauguration, I count Apple as one of the tech giants looking to take over our politics, communities, and individual lives.
Let’s dive into some ideas for leaving the Apple ecosystem.
GO BACK TO THE PAST
First, use the tips from earlier chapters to disengage from Apple:
See Chapter 21: Say Goodbye To Google for privacy-forward replacements for iCloud storage, iCloud mail, Apple Photos, and other products.
See Chapter 19: Say See Ya To Your Smartphone for info on how to strengthen your privacy in phone apps…plus ideas for how to scrap your smartphone altogether.
Then, look to these alternatives to Apple software, music, and podcasts.
OPERATING SYSTEM: MAC —> LINUX
If you feel up for the challenge, a Vice article on how to quit Big Tech recommends installing Linux on your Mac and replacing Mac’s native applications with Linux equivalents. There are many free, open-source alternatives to various popular software programs that work with Linux.
STREAMING MUSIC: APPLE MUSIC —> RESONATE, SOUNDCLOUD OR TIDAL
Want to abandon Apple music? Go one better by choosing an artist-friendly alternative that pays decent royalties to creators. These competitors are similar in price to the bigger streaming services.
SoundCloud uses a fan-powered royalty system where artists’ earnings reflect the number of listens they receive…a nice change from Apple, which makes it difficult for any but the very top artists to make a living. It costs $4.99 per month for a limited catalog and $9.99 per month for the full catalog. I was able to find full albums by every major artist I plugged into their search, and many new and independent creators have tracks there as well.
Resonate bills itself as “the first community-owned music streaming service—a multi-stakeholder platform co-operative, democratically governed by our members: artists, listeners, and workers,” and boasts, “No subscription. No ads. No corporation selling your data. No bots telling you what to like.”
I did some searches and couldn’t find any big-name artists on the platform—but if you’re looking for tunes you might not hear otherwise, resonate could be for you.
You pay 1/4 of a cent the first time you play a track, then a little more each time you replay it. Once you reach about $1.40, the track is yours to keep.
TIDAL costs about the same as Apple Music, with an ad-free music library of over 110 million tracks. This artist-friendly service supports many types of players and has apps for desktop, iOS, and Android.
Even better, the TuneMyMusic platform will transfer your music collection to TIDAL from Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, or other services. The free trial will transfer 500 tracks; unlimited transfers cost $5.50 per month or $24 annually.
The bad news is, while TIDAL gets points for its high-fidelity sound and fair artist pay, many users complain about its buggy app.
I am currently testing TIDAL. For a few days it was plagued with skipping on tracks like an old record, but that seems to have resolved itself. It works great streaming on my TV. I gave it a few bands I like and it created a “welcome” playlist that is spot on.
Thumbs up from me so far...I’ll report back if there are issues.
PODCASTS: APPLE PODCASTS —> POCKET CASTS OR OVERCAST
Pocket Casts is the strongest competitor to Apple Podcasts with its streamlined, easy-to-use interface, plethora of controls, and ability to run on iOS, Android, and desktop. Some features require an upgrade to Pocket Casts Plus, which costs $3.99 per month or $39.99 per year.
If that sounds like overkill, try Overcast, a simple, privacy-respecting, and feature-rich podcast player for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Overcast is free, supported by small visual ads to promote podcasts, or costs $14.99 per year for an ad-free version.
TRY IT NOW
Try out the free version of one of these apps!
WIRELESS EARBUDS: APPLE AIRPODS —> SONY WF-1000XM5
Engadget gave these Sony wireless earbuds their highest rating in 2025, saying, “With the WF-1000XM5 flagship earbuds, Sony improves its already formidable mix of great sound, effective ANC and handy features. [...] Sony still manages to pack in more features than anyone else too, including trademark ones like adaptive sound and Speak-to-Chat.”
CHAPTER 24: SAY MMM-BYE TO MICROSOFT
Microsoft has been accused of war profiteering and tax evasion. It blocks apps on Windows 11 that allow users to choose the browser and search experience they want.
The company has literally rejoiced that their dominance makes it hard for consumers to move to, and developers to create products for, a new platform, as per this internal memo:
[...] It is this switching cost that has given the customers the patience to stick with Windows through all our mistakes, our buggy drivers, our high TCO (total cost of ownership), our lack of a sexy vision at times, and many other difficulties [...] Customers constantly evaluate other desktop platforms, [but] it would be so much work to move over that they hope we just improve Windows rather than force them to move. In short, without this exclusive franchise called the Windows API, we would have been dead a long time ago.
The fact that Microsoft is so cavalier about wasting my precious time on this earth was enough for me to drop them like a hot rock. If you feel the same, here are some ideas.
GO BACKWARD
See Chapter 21: Say Goodbye To Google for privacy-forward replacements for Edge Browser, Outlook email and calendar, Bing search, and other Microsoft products. Then check out these alternatives for software suites and video game consoles.
OFFICE SUITE: MICROSOFT OFFICE —> LIBREOFFICE
LibreOffice is a suite of free, open-source software compatible with such formats as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher. It lets you export your work in many different formats, including PDF. It doesn't offer mobile apps or online collaboration, but I’ve been using LibreOffice for over a year and have been very happy with it.
If you opt for LibreOffice. make it your default app for opening various types of files. For example, for opening .docx files on a Mac, click on any .docx file and press Command-I to open the information panel on that file. Scroll down and you’ll see Open with. Click on that and select LibreOffice, then click the Change All button beneath that. From now on, all .docx files will open in LibreOffice. It works the same way for Excel files, PDF files, and more.
In Windows, right-click on a file and select open with. Left-click on Select other application, and then click on the LibreOffice icon. Select Always use selected application to open [type] files, then press OK.
If you’re done with Microsoft Office, follow these directions to uninstall it from your computer. Then delete or obfuscate your data in your account online and close the account using these instructions. Keep in mind you will also lose access to Outlook.com, Hotmail, OneDrive, Xbox, Skype, Rewards, and Microsoft Certification.
VIDEO CONFERENCING SYSTEM: SKYPE —> SIGNAL
I mentioned Signal earlier; this app offers group calling and video and file attachments, and everything is end-to-end encrypted. However, the app does lack some video conferencing features like screen sharing.
TRY IT NOW
This is a fairly easy switch. Try it out!
VIDEO GAME CONSOLE: XBOX —> AN XBOX EMULATOR
Yes, it’s possible to play Xbox games without an Xbox (or an Xbox Game Pass subscription).
An emulator is a program that gives you the ability to run software from a different device on your computer. Xemu, for example, is a free and open-source application that lets people to play their original Xbox games on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports almost all controllers, up to four at a time.
Emulators may run more slowly than the original device and can suck up a lot of bandwidth…but if you’re tired of enabling Microsoft with your time, attention, and dollars, this could be the way to go. Want to give it a try? The Xemu site has a list of compatible Xbox games.
PART 7: LIVE YOUR LIFE
You’ve read through Disengage, maybe taken notes, and perhaps even put some of the ideas into practice. This project will likely never be all wrapped up with a nice bow on top, but we can still make great things happen.
WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT WE CAN DO
This book was based on what I learned as I attempted to disengage myself, as much as was feasible, from the companies that have claimed our lives as theirs to profit from. The 2025 update includes what I’ve learned from practicing much of the advice in this book for about two years.
I couldn’t possibly cover every single tactic you might use to take back your life—to reclaim your data, privacy, attention, permission, content, and dollars from those who would abuse them. Even with all I was able to dig up on how to keep Google from tracking you, for example, I wouldn't be surprised if I covered only 10% of the possibilities.
I also may not have covered the precise privacy-invading, exploitative, extractive, or creativity-killing problem that keeps you up at night. Maybe it’s business formats like Spotify, Uber, Doordash, or Netflix. Maybe it’s the way you’re inundated with solicitations from insurance companies and home warranty businesses the instant you purchase a house. Perhaps you want to be done with Target, Walmart, Tesla, and other companies you believe are harming us.
If there are any businesses you’d like to cut ties with—or troubling privacy practices you’d like to tackle—that I didn’t cover here, chances are someone else has already done it, and has written a blog post or a guide to help you.
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
As you work your way through this guide, implementing the changes that make sense to you, do you feel lighter? Are you proud that you were able to keep some of your time, attention, data, and dollars out of the claws of Big Tech? Do you feel less like you’re walking around in a constant spotlight?
If so, please help spread the word to our fellow citizens who may be withering under the glare. Remember, this book is free! There is absolutely no catch.
KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT
Thank you for reading Disengage. I hope this humble book helps you deprive hyper-capitalist companies of at least a bit of your one and only life—and helps keep these companies from buying up our country and our rights.
If you’d like to get in touch, please reach out at PunchingUpPress.com. Visit the site to subscribe to ad-free, no-spam, infrequently sent Punching Up Press emails, where you’ll learn about new free books, giveaways, fundraisers that fuel resistance, and more.
For the resources I used in researching and writing this book, visit the Disengage Resources Page.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to thank all the readers of this and the previous edition of Disengage...my kind beta readers Leanna and @mstrlaw...and my friends, family, and neighborhood group for their help and encouragement.
Cory Doctorow not only writes incredible newsletters and books, but he occasionally indulges your humble author by promoting Punching Up Press projects.
Thanks also to David Ryan for the fab new book cover design. Creative for hire: ryanjamesdavid@gmail.com.