Fighting Back: Your Action Guide
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Over the past three days, we’ve traced a clear path: from Clay Montgomery’s blacksmith shop being secretly enlisted in Big Tech’s political army, through the four-pillar influence machine that makes such manipulation possible, to the historical pattern that shows this exact scenario playing out whenever humans concentrate control over new technologies.
The pattern is always the same. But so is the solution.
History proves that concentrated power can be challenged and broken. Western Union’s telegraph monopoly was dismantled. Standard Oil was broken up. The military-industrial complex was exposed and constrained. In each case, ordinary citizens working through democratic institutions succeeded in restoring accountability to concentrated power.
Today, that’s our job.
The good news? This is fundamentally a human problem with human solutions. The influence operations we’ve examined work because they operate below public awareness. Once exposed to sunlight, they become much less effective.
Here’s your comprehensive action guide – from steps you can take today to long-term strategies for restoring democratic accountability.
Immediate Actions: What You Can Do Today
Protect Your Data and Privacy
Why this matters: The influence machine depends on surveillance capitalism – collecting your personal data to build profiles used for political manipulation and economic control.
Switch your search engine:
- Replace Google with DuckDuckGo (doesn’t track or profile users)
- Or try Startpage (Google results without tracking)
- Install these as your default search engine on all devices
Secure your communications:
- Replace WhatsApp/Facebook Messenger with Signal (end-to-end encrypted, nonprofit-run)
- Use ProtonMail instead of Gmail for email (encrypted, Swiss-based)
- Consider Telegram for group communications (though Signal is more secure)
Browse more privately:
- Switch from Chrome to Firefox with privacy extensions
- Install uBlock Origin (blocks ads and trackers)
- Use Privacy Badger (blocks cross-site tracking)
- Enable Firefox’s “Strict” privacy settings
Protect your phone:
- Turn off location tracking for apps that don’t need it
- Disable ad personalization in your phone settings
- Use Brave Browser on mobile (blocks ads and trackers by default)
- Review and delete apps you don’t actually use
Break the Information Bubble
Why this matters: The influence machine works by controlling what information you see through algorithmic curation designed to maximize engagement and ad revenue.
Diversify your news sources:
- Subscribe directly to news organizations instead of relying on social media feeds
- Use AllSides.com to see how stories are covered across the political spectrum
- Follow Ground News to see media bias and source diversity for each story
- Set up direct RSS feeds or email newsletters from trusted sources
Escape algorithmic curation:
- Spend less time on Facebook, Twitter/X, TikTok, and YouTube
- When you do use these platforms, actively seek out content that challenges your existing views
- Use the “chronological” feed options when available instead of algorithmic feeds
- Regularly clear your cookies and watch history to reset personalization
Practice media literacy:
- Always check the funding sources of organizations making claims
- Be especially skeptical of “grassroots” campaigns (remember Clay Montgomery’s story)
- Look for the actual research behind headlines, not just the interpretations
- Ask: “Who benefits if I believe this information?”
Medium-Term Changes: Building New Habits
Support Independent Alternatives
Why this matters: The influence machine’s power comes from our dependency on centralized platforms. Supporting alternatives reduces that dependency while building democratic infrastructure.
Social media alternatives:
- Try Mastodon (decentralized Twitter alternative)
- Explore Diaspora (decentralized Facebook alternative)
- Consider reducing overall social media usage rather than just switching platforms
Support independent journalism:
- Subscribe to local newspapers and independent outlets
- Donate to nonprofit investigative journalism organizations
- Use Substack or Ghost to support independent writers directly
- Avoid getting news primarily from social media platforms
Choose ethical services:
- Use DuckDuckGo consistently instead of Google
- Try Brave browser (blocks ads, rewards users)
- Consider Linux operating systems if you’re technically inclined
- Support Wikipedia financially (truly independent information source)
Become a More Informed Citizen
Research before you vote:
- Look up the funding sources for ballot initiatives and candidate campaigns
- Check OpenSecrets.org to see who’s funding your representatives
- Attend local government meetings where tech policy decisions are often made
- Join or support organizations working on tech accountability
Understand the issues:
- Learn about concepts like “surveillance capitalism,” “regulatory capture,” and “astroturfing”
- Read books like “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism” by Shoshana Zuboff
- Follow researchers like Tim Wu, Lina Khan, and Cathy O’Neil
- Stay informed about antitrust cases and regulatory developments
Contact Your Representatives
Why this matters: Politicians respond to constituent pressure, especially when it’s sustained and informed.
What to say:
- Express concern about the revolving door between tech companies and regulatory agencies
- Demand stronger ethics rules that cover entry into government, not just exit
- Support antitrust enforcement and platform accountability measures
- Ask about funding sources for organizations that lobby them on tech issues
How to be effective:
- Be specific about policies rather than making general complaints
- Mention your voting status and local address
- Follow up on their responses
- Coordinate with others in your community for greater impact
Long-Term Advocacy: Systemic Solutions
Support Structural Reforms
Revolving door restrictions:
- Advocate for cooling-off periods that apply to entry into government service
- Support requirements for disclosure of previous industry employment
- Push for lifetime restrictions on certain types of lobbying by former officials
- Demand transparency in government hiring processes for regulatory positions
Campaign finance reform:
- Support limits on corporate political spending
- Advocate for public campaign financing options
- Push for real-time disclosure of political contributions
- Support “democracy vouchers” that give citizens publicly-funded political contributions to allocate
Antitrust enforcement:
- Support breaking up large tech platforms into separate companies
- Advocate for structural separations (platforms can’t compete with their users)
- Push for interoperability requirements that prevent platform lock-in
- Support utility-style regulation for essential digital infrastructure
Build Democratic Infrastructure
Support organizations working on tech accountability:
- Electronic Frontier Foundation (digital rights)
- Center for Humane Technology (tech reform)
- Open Markets Institute (antitrust advocacy)
- Algorithm Watch (algorithmic accountability)
- Mozilla Foundation (internet health)
Local action:
- Support municipal broadband initiatives
- Advocate for digital privacy protections at state and local levels
- Push your city/county to use open-source software when possible
- Support local businesses over platform-dependent alternatives
Education and awareness:
- Share information about influence operations with friends and family
- Organize community discussions about tech and democracy
- Support digital literacy education in schools
- Mentor others in using privacy-protecting technologies
Advanced Actions: For the Technically Inclined
Use Decentralized Technologies
Why this matters: Decentralized systems reduce the ability of any single entity to control information flow or extract data for manipulation.
Blockchain-based alternatives:
- Explore decentralized social networks like Lens Protocol
- Use cryptocurrency for transactions that bypass traditional financial surveillance
- Support development of decentralized cloud storage and computing
Self-hosting options:
- Run your own email server (advanced users)
- Use Nextcloud for file storage and collaboration
- Host your own Matrix server for secure communications
- Contribute to open-source projects that provide alternatives to corporate platforms
Contribute to Open Source
Development:
- Contribute code to privacy-focused browsers like Firefox
- Help develop decentralized social media platforms
- Work on digital rights and privacy tools
- Support projects that provide alternatives to Big Tech services
Non-technical contributions:
- Help with documentation and user guides
- Translate tools into different languages
- Provide user experience feedback
- Donate to open-source projects
What NOT to Do: Avoiding Counterproductive Actions
Don’t Fall for False Solutions
“AI regulation” that strengthens Big Tech: Be suspicious of tech industry proposals for AI oversight that give more power to the same companies causing the problems.
Symbolic regulations: Support substantive reforms over feel-good measures that don’t actually constrain corporate power.
Single-issue focus: Remember that this is about concentrated power, not just privacy or antitrust or content moderation alone.
Don’t Give Up on Democratic Institutions
Cynicism is counterproductive: The influence machine wants you to believe democratic action is hopeless.
Perfectionism is paralyzing: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good when it comes to reform efforts.
Individual action alone isn’t enough: Personal privacy tools are important but won’t solve structural problems that require collective action.
Creating Accountability: The Multiplier Effect
Why Your Actions Matter More Than You Think
Network effects work both ways: Just as Big Tech platforms become more powerful as more people use them, alternatives become more viable as more people adopt them.
Political pressure compounds: Politicians pay attention when multiple constituents raise the same concerns repeatedly.
Cultural change spreads: Your choices influence friends and family, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond your individual impact.
Economic pressure works: Companies respond to customers who actually change their behavior, not just their stated preferences.
Building Community
Find allies:
- Join local groups focused on digital rights and tech accountability
- Connect with others who share your concerns about concentrated power
- Support businesses and organizations that align with your values
- Engage in constructive dialogue with people who might disagree
Share knowledge:
- Teach others to use privacy tools and alternative platforms
- Explain influence operations to friends and family without being preachy
- Share credible sources and information about tech accountability issues
- Model the behavior you want to see in terms of media consumption and platform use
Measuring Progress: How to Know If It’s Working
Individual Progress
- You’re less dependent on Big Tech services for essential functions
- Your data is more protected from surveillance and manipulation
- You’re better informed about tech policy issues and democratic processes
- You’ve taken action to influence political outcomes through democratic participation
Collective Progress
- More people are using alternative platforms and privacy tools
- Politicians are talking about tech accountability issues
- Regulatory agencies are taking stronger enforcement actions
- Academic research is becoming more independent from industry funding
- Public discourse is focusing more on human agency and less on technological determinism
Tomorrow: The Choice We Face
The actions outlined today represent more than just personal protection – they’re part of a broader movement to restore democratic accountability to the systems that increasingly govern our lives.
But individual action, while necessary, isn’t sufficient. The influence operations we’ve examined work at a scale that requires collective democratic response. Tomorrow, in our final piece, we’ll examine the choice our society faces: continue down the path toward concentrated private control over public infrastructure, or rebuild democratic institutions capable of constraining human power in the digital age.
The window for effective action is still open, but it won’t stay open indefinitely. Every day that passes without effective democratic response allows the influence machine to become more entrenched and harder to challenge.
History shows that ordinary citizens can successfully challenge concentrated power. The question is whether we’ll recognize the urgency of our moment and act accordingly.
Your individual actions matter. Collective action is what wins.
Yesterday: The Human Data Cabal Series – Part 3 of 5
Tomorrow: Part 5 – The Choice We Face: The Window Is Closing
Action resources: Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org), Mozilla Foundation (mozilla.org), OpenSecrets.org for political funding transparency, AllSides.com for media bias checking, and local digital rights organizations.