They Want Your Data and Your Freedom – Alternatives and What You Can Do Right Now
The rise of authoritarianism in the U.S., fueled by recent political figures poses a significant threat to democracy, free speech, and global stability. If their influence grows unchecked, we may see the erosion of essential democratic institutions, including the dissolution of democratic education, economic wars, and increasing political coercion worldwide.
This is not just an American problem—it affects everyone. Authoritarian regimes rely on control, data manipulation, and surveillance to suppress opposition. Whether you’re in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world, your digital footprint can be exploited to serve oppressive political agendas. Worldwide.
Democracy is Under Attack and here’s What You Must Do:
Resist, organize, educate and protect yourselves.
Organize and Build Resistance
Authoritarianism thrives when people feel isolated and powerless. The key to resistance is community—building networks that support democratic values, free speech, and privacy.
Join or Support Pro-Democracy Organizations
Groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Access Now, and Fight for the Future advocate for digital rights and privacy.
Local grassroots movements are essential—find and support organizations that work against authoritarian policies in your country.
Buy local, not in the U.S.—support businesses that respect privacy and democracy. For example, if you live in Canada, choose Canadian companies for your tech, banking, and daily purchases to avoid supporting U.S. corporations that enable surveillance and authoritarian policies.
Encourage Decentralization
Support alternative platforms that do not rely on big tech giants like Google, Facebook, or X (formerly Twitter), as these companies can be pressured to comply with authoritarian demands.
Use platforms like Mastodon or Bluesky for social networking and communication.
Support independent journalism and whistleblowers exposing government overreach and corporate corruption.
Secure Your Digital Privacy
Governments and corporations collect vast amounts of data that can be used to silence dissent and manipulate politics. To fight back, you must secure your digital footprint.
Proton Mail & Proton VPN
Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo scan your emails and can be forced to hand over data to governments. Proton Mail, based in Switzerland, provides end-to-end encryption, meaning only you and your recipient can read your messages.
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks): A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address. This prevents tracking and censorship. Proton VPN offers a no-logs policy and is outside U.S. jurisdiction, making it a trustworthy choice.
Move Away from US-Based Big Tech
Big Tech companies are often complicit in surveillance. Switch to ethical alternatives:
Google → DuckDuckGo or Startpage (private search engines)
Dropbox → Nextcloud (private cloud storage)
WhatsApp → Signal (secure messaging)
Chrome → Mozilla FireFox (internet browser)
Educate and Spread Awareness and Support Independent Education Platforms
Knowledge is the most powerful tool against authoritarianism. The more people understand the dangers of centralized control and surveillance, the harder it becomes for these regimes to take hold.
teachr: We are the platform for educators, innovators, and changemakers to connect and inspire through meaningful content.
At teachr, we prioritize quality and purpose over quantity. To maintain high standards and protect our mission, we have closed our registration process. Only creators who align with our values—sustainability, education, and positive global impact—can apply. Each application is reviewed first by AI, then by our team.
To further safeguard our platform:
We removed U.S.-based tracking systems.
We deleted our X (Twitter) (Ads) account and moved to Bluesky.
We relocated our servers to Canada and Europe.
We are also taking further steps for our user data protection, security and educational independence.
If we secure our data, support ethical technologies and educate ourselves and others, we can create a world in which privacy, democracy and freedom remain intact.
If you want to share educational resources and create your online course, you can apply here.
Authoritarian regimes thrive on control, fear, and misinformation. The more dependent we are on centralized technology, the easier it becomes for oppressive systems to take hold. But we have power.
Don’t wait—start today. Your privacy, your democracy, and your future depend on it.
