If they want my data, they can pay for it!
An interview with Tuta user, Thomas Ryberg, on why he switched to Tuta Mail and decided to stop letting big tech exploit his data.
If it’s free, you’re the product
Thomas has cared about online privacy since the earlier days of internet forums and Usenet groups. He loved that you could join online communities and gain something and engage without having to reveal your identity. He mentioned that as social networks became social media, he realized just how bad the data harvesting was.
In 2016, he decided to delete Facebook after learning it had been tracking its users across other websites. This was the turning point and prompted the start of his journey towards technologies that better respected his privacy and did not exploit his data.
“I just thought, okay that’s crazy. They don’t need to know what else I’m browsing, or doing online. I don’t want them or anybody, in a sense, to earn money off my digital footprints. They’re mine. If they want my data, they can pay for it.“
“Of course, I knew that if you use a service for free, you give something. If you’re not paying, you’re the product. But it’s become extractive and exploitative.”
While deleting Facebook and not using Meta’s products was a step away from Big Tech, Thomas was still - like many people - using Google a lot but realized it is also just as bad as Meta.
“It’s the same story. Google’s Motto, “Don’t be evil” sort of vanished into thin air.“
“It has become obvious that with tech giants, there are problems with their business models, the way they extract data, and basically exploit it. For me, it’s not only a privacy issue, it’s also the fact that I don’t want people making money off me, in a sense.”
“Some people say, ‘I don’t care, Google can read all my emails’ but I just don’t like it.”
Even if the data they’ve taken is anonymized, he points out that someone is still heavily profiting from it.
“Maybe you’re just an anonymous ID in a database, but they are circulating it and someone is making huge profits. I find it strange when I see the message, ‘We care for your privacy - we and our 1037 partners!’”
Exploring alternatives & finding a balance
For many years Thomas has made small changes to the software and technology he uses. For example, he uses DuckDuckGo’s search engine as an alternative to Google because he doesn’t want to be profiled and tracked, Mastodon instead of Twitter/X and is currently exploring the Fediverse. When possible, he also prefers open source software.
He also spoke about how in today’s world it can be difficult (if not impossible) to completely ditch Big Tech - for example, your banking app may only be available on the App Store or Google Play Store. But what we can do is find a balance and take small steps to better choose how we consume and use tech.
“I would prefer not to use YouTube but there are some things you can’t find other places. I have an Android phone, so I’m tied in with Google, and I can’t really get rid of it. In Denmark, the Danish national ID, which is what gets you into banks and other important services makes it difficult to actually switch from Google and Apple. So you’re kind of tied in. I try one step at a time, and I mean they are small steps, as I wrote in the post, because it’s difficult.”
Related: If you’d like to move away from Big Tech check out our guide to DeGoogle
Why he chose to pay for Tuta Mail
Thomas can’t remember exactly how he came across Tuta, but said it was most likely on Mastodon or LinkedIn and remembers what caught his attention.
“I think it was some of the nice posts you share about how to switch from this to that, and how to stop using Google…”
When Thomas discovered Tuta Mail, he decided to sign up and chose a paid Tuta plan.
“I signed up and decided to pay. I think that’s something we need to remind ourselves that services do cost, they’re not free, there are people who work there, they need to get paid, and so on, even if it’s based on open source software.”
For him, paying for a service, like email is a part of the process of moving away from Big Tech’s business model: Grow big early, run at a loss for years, and start cashing in when people are locked in.
“I don’t mind businesses. I am paying for Tuta and I think it’s fair. We need to switch from the Californian cowboy capitalism towards more sustainable forms of commercial engagement”
For Thomas, Tuta Mail’s security, for example, the quantum-secure end-to-end encryption is important, but what he really appreciates is that with Tuta his private communications are not easily accessible, and they are not used for commercial purposes. As he said, “My emails are not being read, and data is not being extracted.”
He also likes that Tuta is based in Germany, and even though he’s relatively new to using Tuta, he mentioned that for him the simplicity of it works well.
What’s next
For now, Thomas is only using Tuta Mail, and is slowly making it his primary email address for friends, family and all his subscriptions. Next on his list is getting his wife to switch to Tuta Mail too.
Since him and his wife use email for confidential family matters, which includes information about his children, he mentions really feeling the need for both him and his wife to encrypted email providers, and to ensure that Copilot or Gemini AI are not able to access confidential emails between him and family.
And like many other Tuta fans, he is also awaiting the release of the Tuta Drive so that he can move his pictures and private files across.
It was a pleasure to chat to Thomas and hear his story on why he has slowly moved away from mainstream tech and how he found Tuta. One key takeaway is that when it comes to choosing privacy-focused alternatives, or for others DeGoogling, it’s a marathon not a sprint! And one that’s worth it.
