Why Millions of Europeans Are Ditching Google and Microsoft (And What to Use Instead)
- Michael Routhier
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Something is happening across Europe right now that most people are not paying enough attention to.
Governments are making real, official moves away from American tech platforms. France has ordered 2.6 million civil servants off Windows and onto Linux, while also moving away from US email and video conferencing tools across government ministries. Germany's state of Schleswig-Holstein has also been replacing Microsoft tools with open-source alternatives in public administration.
And it is not just governments. Proton reported that after political tensions earlier this year, signups for Proton Mail and Proton Drive rose nearly 80% across the Nordic countries, with Denmark seeing more than a 100% increase. Proton's survey also found that stronger privacy protections were the top reason Europeans gave for preferring European tech alternatives.
This is not a fringe movement. It is a practical one. And if you live in Europe, it matters to you more than you may think.
Why this is happening
This shift is not just about politics, although politics has clearly accelerated it. European governments and citizens are increasingly worried about who controls their data, where that data lives, and which country's laws ultimately apply to it.
According to reporting on Europe's tech dependence, at least 80% of Europe's technology is imported, and Europe's share of the global information and communications technology market fell from about 22% in 2013 to around 11% by 2022. That is part of why "digital sovereignty" has become a serious policy goal rather than a niche talking point.
France's stated goal in replacing Microsoft Teams and Zoom with its own Visio platform is to end dependence on non-European solutions and guarantee the security and confidentiality of public electronic communications. That is about control, privacy, and long-term resilience.
The Virtuous Machine
This is where the Virtuous Machine question matters; what is this technology actually for? That question cuts through marketing faster than anything else.
Google's business model is fundamentally built on collecting data and turning it into targeted advertising. Microsoft's consumer and business cloud tools may solve real problems, but for many Europeans they still raise the same issue; dependence on American infrastructure and exposure to American legal jurisdiction.
For readers 55 and over, this matters because the switch is not about being trendy. It is about whether the tools in your life are serving you, or whether you are serving them. That is the kind of question wise people ask naturally, and it is exactly what this platform is here to help with.
What to use instead
You do not need to replace everything in one weekend. The best approach is to switch one category at a time.
Email: Proton Mail (Switzerland) or Tuta/Tutanota (Germany). Proton has over 100 million users and is one of the strongest privacy-focused options available.
Search: Qwant (France) or Ecosia (Germany). Both are privacy-respecting alternatives to Google Search, and Ecosia also funds tree planting.
Cloud storage: Proton Drive, Nextcloud, or Infomaniak. These give Europeans more control over where files live and how they are handled.
Office tools: OnlyOffice, LibreOffice, or Nextcloud-based document suites. These can replace a lot of what people use Microsoft 365 or Google Docs for.
Messaging: Signal is still the gold standard for privacy, while Threema is a strong Swiss alternative used in Europe.
Video calls: Jitsi or kMeet by Infomaniak are strong options that avoid the usual US platforms.
Browser: Firefox remains one of the best mainstream privacy-respecting browsers, and Vivaldi is a strong European option from Norway.
A good starting point for most readers is email. Set up a Proton Mail account, start using it for new signups and important contacts, and let the transition happen gradually. You do not need to rip the plaster off all at once.
Why this matters to our readers
Most articles about digital sovereignty are written for IT departments, procurement officers, and policy analysts. They are not written for normal people trying to stay safe, stay independent, and not get steamrolled by a tech world that seems to move faster every month.
That is why Tech 4 Grown-Ups exists.
We help people 55 and over not only stay safe, but become more confident and more powerful in this tech world. We do it without jargon, without talking down to you, and without pretending you need to become a programmer to make good choices.
If this post resonated with you, start with the free Tech 4 Grown-Ups digital safety course. It is built specifically for adults 55+ who want to understand the tools around them, protect themselves better, and feel more in control online. The course is free, practical, and designed for real life, not for Silicon Valley.
What to do this week
Set up a free Proton Mail account and use it for one important service.
Change your default search engine to Qwant or Ecosia for a week and see how it feels.
Move a few sensitive files from Google Drive or OneDrive into Proton Drive.
Install Firefox or Vivaldi and compare it to Chrome.
Share this post with someone who still thinks there is "no alternative".
That is how this begins. Quietly. Practically. One tool at a time.
🎓 Free Tech 4 Grown-Ups digital safety course, start here: tech4grownups.com/free-course
💬 Join the free Tech 4 Grown-Ups community: tech4grownups.com/community
📧 Proton Mail: proton.me
☁️ Proton Drive: proton.me/drive
🔍 Qwant: qwant.com
🌱 Ecosia: ecosia.org
📄 OnlyOffice: onlyoffice.com
💬 Signal: signal.org
💬 Threema: threema.ch
🎥 Jitsi Meet: meet.jit.si
🌐 Firefox: mozilla.org/firefox
Michael Routhier is the founder of Tech 4 Grown-Ups, a digital literacy platform for adults 55 and over. The Virtuous Machine is a series exploring the ethics, power, and human cost of artificial intelligence. Find everything at tech4grownups.com.
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