Google has become more interesting in terms of hardware. And the price is “reasonable” compared to iPhones. On the one hand, I find it “scary” that my entire life (digital, baby photos, payments) is all through Google, especially with the advent of AI and access to everything. But on the other hand, I also use Gmail on my iPhone, so maybe that’s a bit hypocritical .

It is not hypocritical to try your best and then fail. It is not hypocritical to slow down instead of speeding up. It is not hypocritical to admit that Google is so big and powerful that it cannot compete. It is not hypocritical to buy all the new technology and worry about your privacy.

It’s only hypocrisy if you have a big mouth but are not willing to put in any effort or compromise and it can’t cost you anything. You have to be willing to do something. This doesn’t have to be far from idealistic, realism also goes a long way if you think about what happens if Google/Apple/… decides to close your account for some reason.
– Also buy a phone/device from a company that values ​​privacy.
– Make sure you have backups of your data with another supplier.
– Make sure you have your own domain so you own your email address.
– Use of open protocols
– Use standalone apps like Firefox and Signal instead of Chrome and iMessage.
– Reject all tracking (e.g., use browser plugins to reject cookie walls)

Most importantly: Write a letter to your representative.
The Dutch are very bitter when it comes to politics and believe that politicians do not listen to them. To some extent this is true, but to a large extent it is not. You will not have direct contact with the leading parties of the major parties, but anything is possible under them.

Lesser-known politicians are always looking for a good point of view to attract votes and attention. Not everyone will find your point of view interesting, but just reading your opinion can influence how they think and vote. Politicians are just people, too, so a personal story tailored to that person is more important than a generic mass email. But they are busy, so be short, clear, and polite.

Don’t have any preconceptions that they don’t find the whole topic interesting, but try to customize it a bit to suit the person, interests, and party.
A BBB member may be less concerned about privacy on cell phones, but he might wake up when it comes to the right to fix your own tractor or crop that failed because your thresher app was removed from the App Store.

Politics is more accessible than you think if you put in a little effort. Corporations know this and have armies of lobbyists who do nothing else all day. We, the citizens, are the majority.

By “accessible,” I don’t mean that it’s easy to change things, just that you can reach out to us to express your opinion. Don’t expect them to write a new law themselves to implement your wishes, it doesn’t work that way. If you want that, you’ll have to write it yourself (companies do that too, if you please). And even then, they probably won’t. The goal is basically to prepare people so that they can (also) see your side of the story when situations arise where they have to make a decision about something.