Boycotting American Companies

[Which Tyler]

For this of us who wish to DO something, there's very little we can do except writing to our MPs, and Boycotting US companies where feasible.

So what feasible alternatives are there? Of course, most wil be a step down from the market leaders, that's why they're not market leaders.

• MasterCard/Visa => Buggered if I know, or how to convince my bank even if I did.
• YouTube => DailyMotion is probably as good as it gets
• Prime & Netflix => iPlayer & NowTV, maybe piracy...
• Amazon => Argos? Individual shops? - easily doable, "just" lacking convenience, especially for repeat purchases
• Morrisons/Asda => Any other supermarket
• Google => Qwant/Ecosia
• ChatGPT => Mistral LeChat
• Chrome/Firefox/Brave => Vivaldi
• Microsoft => Linux
• MSOffice => LibreOffice
• Starbucks/Costa => CaféNero/Coffe#1 or, of course, plenty of independants
• McDonalds/PizzaHut/KFC => Burger king(Canadian), plenty of independants, and the likes of Pret, Greggs, Nandos etc
• DuoLingo => Busuu

Any other big ones I'm missing? Any other viable alternatives? Obviously, it's going to be UK-centric, sorry.

Of course, also trying to find alternatives to specific products

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

For this of us who wish to DO something, there's very little we can do except writing to our MPs, and Boycotting US companies where feasible.

So what feasible alternatives are there? Of course, most wil be a step down from the market leaders, that's why they're not market leaders.

• MasterCard/Visa => Buggered if I know, or how to convince my bank even if I did.
• YouTube => DailyMotion is probably as good as it gets
• Prime & Netflix => iPlayer & NowTV, maybe piracy...
• Amazon => Argos? Individual shops? - easily doable, "just" lacking convenience, especially for repeat purchases
• Morrisons/Asda => Any other supermarket
• Google => Qwant is an acceptable search engine
• ChatGPT => Mistral LeChat
• Chrome/Firefox/Brave => Vivaldi
• Microsoft => Linux
• Starbucks/Costa => CaféNero/Coffe#1 or, of course, plenty of independants
• McDonalds/BurgerKing/PizzaHut/KFC => plenty of independants, and the likes of Pret, Greggs, Nandos etc
• DuoLingo => Busuu

Any other big ones I'm missing? Any other viable alternatives? Obviously, it's going to be UK-centric, sorry.

Really shows how Europe has offered **** all in the tech service world...

 

[Saintjay]

Pretty much every Hollywood film in cinema.

 

[Which Tyler]

There is an app called "Made In" that will scan barcodes, and tell you where corporate daddy lives - I've no idea how reliable, safe etc it is.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

For this of us who wish to DO something, there's very little we can do except writing to our MPs, and Boycotting US companies where feasible.

So what feasible alternatives are there? Of course, most wil be a step down from the market leaders, that's why they're not market leaders.

• MasterCard/Visa => Buggered if I know, or how to convince my bank even if I did.
• YouTube => DailyMotion is probably as good as it gets
• Prime & Netflix => iPlayer & NowTV, maybe piracy...
• Amazon => Argos? Individual shops? - easily doable, "just" lacking convenience, especially for repeat purchases
• Morrisons/Asda => Any other supermarket
• Google => Qwant/Ecosia
• ChatGPT => Mistral LeChat
• Chrome/Firefox/Brave => Vivaldi
• Microsoft => Linux
• MSOffice => LibreOffice
• Starbucks/Costa => CaféNero/Coffe#1 or, of course, plenty of independants
• McDonalds/PizzaHut/KFC => Burger king(Canadian), plenty of independants, and the likes of Pret, Greggs, Nandos etc
• DuoLingo => Busuu

Any other big ones I'm missing? Any other viable alternatives? Obviously, it's going to be UK-centric, sorry.

Of course, also trying to find alternatives to specific products

bloody hell.....like the idea but when you spell it out like that its pretty daunting, easier to book a flight to greenland and enlist

(hyperbole for effect, obviously fighting would be infinitely harder than changing day to day life)

 

[Which Tyler]

Some changes would be a major PITA - things like trying to not-use Mastercard or Visa; for some people, ditching YouTube, Streaming service of choice, or Steam
Others make no real difference (at least, once setup) - things like changing browser, search engine, or using a different coffee/takeaway chain (though I'll never know why people don't use local independents unless trapped in a motorway services).
Most are somewhere in between (there's a reason the market leader is the default choice)

I'm having a little difficulty in finding a useable app that tells me where the money for a product goes - Made In seems to work, but is killing itself with the adverts

 

[ncurd]

I work for an American company so Im screwed (actually I technically work for a UK one thats owned by a Canadian one that owned by the Americans....yay conglomerate!)

Pretty much every Hollywood film in cinema.

This is far more complex than it suggests financing and production of most films is usually a vastly multinational affair. Its why Trumps suggestion to tariff non American films was pretty much laughed off.

Sadly its a boycott i belive is unfeasable most of these companies your money isnt going into America. So im taking the broad approach of I wont visit there unless told by work.

 

[Saintjay]

I work for an American company so Im screwed (actually I technically work for a UK one thats owned by a Canadian one that owned by the Americans....yay conglomerate!)


This is far more complex than it suggests financing and production of most films is usually a vastly multinational affair. Its why Trumps suggestion to tariff non American films was pretty much laughed off.

Sadly its a boycott i belive is unfeasable most of these companies your money isnt going into America. So im taking the broad approach of I wont visit there unless told by work.

You are right. It's not as simple as just boycotting USA firms. Particularly with the multi-nationals which a good percentage of those companies are. You are probably more likely to impact the job of the delivery driver or little old lady who works part time in Asda. Than you are profit margins of Walmart and Amazon.

The only country that had a good go at it was Canada. I'm not convinced the will is here yet.

Not forgetting RWC 2031 is likely to be in the US as well

 

[ncurd]

You are right. It's not as simple as just boycotting USA firms. Particularly with the multi-nationals which a good percentage of those companies are. You are probably more likely to impact the job of the delivery driver or little old lady who works part time in Asda. Than you are profit margins of Walmart and Amazon.

The only country that had a good go at it was Canada. I'm not convinced the will is here yet.

Not forgetting RWC 2031 is likely to be in the US as well

Canada is a weird place like that it defineitly has its own identity and brands on the high street, restaurants, fast food etc. even more so than the UK does at times.

Where it struggles like us is media consumption CBC is good but it doesn't compete with the BBC as a global brand.

(Even with the BBC shows are rarely produced in house and even its biggest show right now The Traitors is licensed Denmark product based of multiple parlor games)

 

[Which Tyler]

You are right. It's not as simple as just boycotting USA firms. Particularly with the multi-nationals which a good percentage of those companies are. You are probably more likely to impact the job of the delivery driver or little old lady who works part time in Asda. Than you are profit margins of Walmart and Amazon.

The only country that had a good go at it was Canada. I'm not convinced the will is here yet.

Not forgetting RWC 2031 is likely to be in the US as well

The point of a boycott isn't to bring a company to its knees; it's to make your point - and it needs A LOT of people boycotting for a company to even notice.
But if a few million European all cancel Netflix on the same weekend, then Netflix will notice, they may even care, keep it going, and they may exert some pressure on their pet politicians.

The point is to disentangle myself from US companies where I realistically can, and to show some solidarity with Greenlanders (and Canadians, as they're back on the menu)

What the corporate overlords REALLY want is an attitude of "boycotts don't matter / don't work / can't be 100% perfect, so I won't bother"


No-one is capable of 100% disentangling themselves from America.
No-one is obliged to even try.
But I'm sure they're grateful for the nay-saying.

 

[Which Tyler]

Migrating Away from US Apps and Services

Introduction​

The list below contains alternative non-US based apps and services. I have curated this list based on what I have tried and preferred. Where possible, I have tried to find services that are equal to, or better than their US counterparts (your miles may vary). It is recommended that you explore other alternatives yourself. Services below were found through my own research, helpful replies on Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threads, and the European Alternatives website.

Whilst the list below contains non-US-based alternatives, please note that some apps and services may still use US-based servers.

This is a working document, and will be subject to updates, corrections, and changes.

Migrating Away from US Apps and Services

mattkeil.craft.me

 

[Which Tyler]

I'm having a little difficulty in finding a useable app that tells me where the money for a product goes - Made In seems to work, but is killing itself with the adverts

These are the ones I've found so far



https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.boycat.app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.webnova.boycott

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=reznov.pass.madein.qrscanner

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=be.cad.made.in.belgium

Buy European - Apps on Google Play

Buy European is an initiative to help consumers make informed choices.

play.google.com

 

[TommiG88]

Coca Cola —> Fentimans