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TEC330: Escape the Walled Garden of Big Tech
01/29/2026
TEC330: Escape the Walled Garden of Big Tech
Is it time to rethink how much control Big Tech has over your digital life? In this episode of The Secrets of Technology, Dom Bettinelli and Thomas Sanjurjo take a hard look at what happens when you audit your tech habits and question long-standing dependencies on companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Inspired by a European case study, the discussion centers on whether privacy-focused EU alternatives can offer better value, stronger consumer protections, and greater peace of mind. What do you lose—and gain—when you trade convenience for intentional friction? The panel explores Proton’s expanding ecosystem, the ethics of “free” services, VPNs, search engines that don’t surveil you, and whether generative AI can exist without harvesting user data. They also address the realities that make leaving some platforms nearly impossible due to network effects. The conversation widens to current tech news, including alarming proposals to regulate 3D printing in Washington State and revelations about BitLocker encryption keys. Throughout, the episode challenges listeners to ask: Who really controls your technology—and at what cost?
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