The sentiment around buying European/Canadian alternatives to American products and services is a great one, and I can get behind the movement, but there is more to it.
Not all products and services have alternatives that are viable. You can’t get your workplaces to move to libreoffice or get your mom to start using signal messege. Moreover, even when using Europa products and services you still perpetuate the culture of uncontrolled capitalism and enriching tech billionaires. Open Source Alternatives, Piracy, and Ad Blocking are all equally viable.
Keeping this in mind, remember that piracy and ad blocking are great ways to keep using American services without contributing to their bottom line.
There are ad free versions of YouTube, reddit, Instagram and Facebook apps. They’re all patched with revanced and are available on github.
Additionally, pirate media as much as you can and be unapologetic about it. Facebook is doing it, so can you. Pirate music, movies, books they’re all available. Torrents community has never been safer and better organised.
Consume without paying and that does more damage to their bottomlines.
I recently saw Technology Connections guy on Bluesky mention how people have forgotten to curate their online experiences, and in many cases prefer to get media delivered to them in a pre curated form.
Not only does this take away agency, it makes it a less interesting part of the media and consumer journey. Gone are the days of discovering artists on /mu/ or soulseek or mix tapes borrowed from your older sibling. You get what spotify thinks you will like.
Piracy is a great exercise in curation. You have limited space, you only download what you need and like. You most often get better quality. You get to be a part of community.
These are ‘soft benefits’ that don’t necessarily have a monetary upside but can still be a positive experience.