What is Junk Government?

Why we built this site and what we mean by the name

What is Junk Government?

February 8, 2026

I didn’t vote for Google to decide what information I see every day. Pretty sure you didn’t either. Nobody elected Amazon to be where we buy everything, or Meta to be the place billions of us get our news and stay in touch with family.

But here we are anyway.

A handful of companies govern our daily digital lives – what we read, how we communicate, where we shop, what happens to our data. And unlike an actual government, there’s no accountability. No voting them out. No freedom of information requests. No town hall meetings.

That’s junk government.

Look, they’re not evil

To be honest, some of these services are genuinely good. Google Search is fast. Amazon delivery is convenient. WhatsApp works everywhere. I’m not going to stand here and pretend otherwise.

The problem isn’t the service. It’s the deal you didn’t agree to.

You get a “free” service. They get your attention, your data, your habits, your purchases, your location, your contacts, your browsing history. They build an advertising profile so detailed it would make a Cold War intelligence agency jealous. And when the terms of service change – which they do, whenever they fancy – your choices are “accept” or “leave.”

So that’s what we’re doing

We’re leaving. Not all at once, and not everything. One service at a time, at whatever pace works for you.

Every guide on this site walks you through a specific switch. Moving from Audible to free library audiobooks. Swapping Chrome for Firefox. That sort of thing. We keep them practical and honest. If the alternative isn’t as good in some area, we’ll tell you straight. I’d rather you trust one guide than doubt ten.

You don’t have to do everything

The biggest misconception about “leaving big tech” is that it’s all-or-nothing.

It’s not.

Switching your browser is a win. Using Signal with your close friends is a win. Getting audiobooks from the library instead of Amazon is a win. Each small change takes a piece of your digital life back under your own control. Over time, they add up.

Where to start

If you’re new here, check out Start Here for a few easy wins that take 15 minutes or less. Or browse all our guides and pick whatever annoys you most.

I’m glad you’re here. Let’s break free from junk government – one guide at a time.

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