Ciao, Gmail. Arrivederci, Google Photos. It’s been a good ride, but enough is enough.
Time to say goodbye—for now, at least.
It’s true, I’ve been thinking about this for a while—probably since I said goodbye to X the moment Elon Musk got involved. But now, it’s time to part ways with another giant that has been part of my digital life since the beginning. This one became the go-to for pretty much everything, and honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever let it go.
Since the presidential inauguration (yes, I still can’t believe he got elected again), our digital lives have been bombarded with social and political restrictions like never before. Pride Month and Black History Month have vanished from our calendars, large bodies of water have changed names, and thousands of immigrants have been shackled with new absurd emigration policies.
And sure, there’s more to come. We’ve seen daily doses of shocking news, jaw-dropping political statements, and—let's not forget—a toddler making headlines for picking his nose in front of the international press (poor boy, props to him for owning it more than his father does).
As a designer, a creative, and a human being, these have been some of the most destructive times in our social sphere this year. So, as much as I could, I knew I had to do something to counteract this absurd barrage somehow. I get it—this might be the tiniest of challenges to the corporate giants, but I just couldn’t stay silent and complicit anymore.
Earlier this month, it was time to say goodbye to Facebook, and yes, I have now de-Googled myself. Meta’s social content was becoming worse than a bad school meal, and now Google, too—once one of the shining lights of our digital world—has been actively supporting some of the most conservative agendas since its inception.
This past week, armed with a pair of virtual scissors, I found the courage to detox from these long-standing dependencies and break free.
I won’t lie—it hasn’t been painless. Terabytes of carefully curated memories had to be exported, calendars and cloud files had to be moved, and countless contacts had to be safely stored. But let me tell you, the exhilaration of being free from it all? Unmatched. Especially when you realize you've missed some calendar invites, offering the perfect excuse for being late to a call or skipping a meeting in person.
As someone who creates things grounded in sustainability and real-world value, I deeply believe that this process of de-Googling will help safeguard my creative being. It brings back that underdog feeling that’s fueled my creative goals since the start of my career.
Today, the connection between generative sustainability and political engagement is more important than ever. Stepping away from complicity has opened the door for new endeavors that prioritize privacy, freedom of political expression, and, most importantly, my creative autonomy.
So, here’s my invitation to you all: consider doing the same. Take a step away from the overwhelming noise, the manipulation, and the lies that Big Tech profits from. It’s not painless, and it won’t be easy at first, but the freedom you’ll feel when you reclaim your space? That’s totally worth it.
The search for authentic connections, for real friends, and for unbiased information? It’s possible again. And it starts with saying goodbye to the big G.