Why I quit social media (and re-thinking my relation with the US)

This is not the post I thought I would ever have to write. Things in the world have got crazy and aliases have to be made. The thought of writing from a political perspective was never something I would consider, however, here I am writing from that point.

I can't deny that the recent comments and actions from the current president of the United States of America has got my back up. I am being as diplomatic as possible because as much as I have a distaste for certain leadership, I have made many wonderful connections and friends from people within America. 

I feel social media has become polarising and divisive over the years. Platforms like X are not what they used to be like. Others are awfully crowded with ads. They have lost meaning and purpose. I don't value these platforms anymore. My time is better served connecting with people IRL.  

Unfortunately, I have to say it - I am now on a journey to uncouple from the the tech and lifestyle choices given to me by America. Namely, I have boycotting American products and looking to other countries to provide the products and services I align myself with. 

Problem 1 - Social media

It didn't take me long to realise that all the social media outlets I use come from America. They were amazing services that allowed me to connect people around the world, share my interests and promote my writing. However, the boycott must include these, so here is a list of things I have done so far. 

• Deleted my X (Twitter) account.
• Deleted my Bluesky account.
• Deleted my Mastodon account (technically not American).
• Deleted my Medium account, Stripe payments and subscription. 
• Deleted my Discord account.
• Deleted my Amazon account (and donated my Kindle to someone else).
• Removed all my YouTube videos, playlists, unsubscribed to channels and logged out of Google on all personal devices. 
• Signed out of Facebook (I might return in four years time, maybe).

Problem 2 - Software

Again, most of the software I use is American. I have made it very clear that I am a big fan of Apple and I use their software frequently. The problem is my whole family are completely stuck in this ecosystem, so leaving it is difficult. However, I am going to phase out my Apple products and services over time when I know I have found adequate replacements. For now, here is what I have managed to achieve:

• Deleted Twos App
• Deleted all non-essential apps made built in America.
• Unsubscribed to Todoist, Zoho Notebook, Reflect Notes and Microsoft 365 account.
• I have removed all the possible data from Google I can find apart from work I have to submit to a course I am doing (I am using my work laptop for Google Docs). Once that has been completed, I will delete my Google account completely. 
• I reduced or deleted a plethora of streaming services.
• Moved to Diarly for journaling, which is a end-to-end encrypted app from Poland. 
• Deleted as many apps that use Google Firebase and AWS. 

Problem 3 - Hardware

Hardware is probably the hardest area to change. I plan to phase out my Apple products. I have ditched my beloved Apple Watch for a basic, minimalist analog Casio watch. In doing so, I have broken the main reason behind the need for an iPhone. I am not in a rush to replace my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air. Instead, I will replace them with, preferably, European or Korean alternatives when they need replacing. 

I refuse to use my Xbox. My son will be happy using it instead. I plan to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 when it comes out and only play non-American games. 

I had a few thousand pounds saved up to buy an Apple iMac and iPad Pro this year. Instead, I have used that money to book a holiday for the summer holidays. A five-star all inclusive holiday to Turkey will be appreciated by my family. In addition, I have put in deposit for a new KIA car. 

Conclusion

I will only post online through my personal blog. I won't be using any American service for the foreseeable future. The whole ordeal will be a real culture shift. I mean, just going to the local shops is a real challenge. I am now checking to see where food items and other household goods come from, opting for European and British products.

This is nothing against the American people or the people I have been fortunate to connect with over the years. I am only one person in the world but I know others are making the same choices. Maybe the world will look elsewhere and American leadership will get the message.

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As always, thank you for taking the time to read my post. 

Mark

(No social media links here)