Do you consider the intention (or frequency) of the owner and creators behind the things you buy and use?
I had a wonderful talk with Carina Ramm earlier this week on the new Meta terms and how that does not feel good. This part was not recorded unfortunately. But we are both very aware of what we invest our time and money in. Also when it comes to apps and platforms we use. And it has been good to share experiences.
'Am I still buying and using things that feel good?'
Is something I regularly check with myself so I can choose consiously: Is this a company I want to invest in? No matter how small my purchase or usage.
It is like food or clothes
I consiously choose where I buy my fruit, vegetables and clothes. I prefer to buy organic and local. If I can I buy my food at a local biodiverse farm, one just like The Biggest Little Farm. And if I can't go there, I mostly buy fruits and vegetables at a local organic market or organic supermarket. And for clothes it is the same, durable, second hand etc.
Company values
At companies I choose to buy, I am aware of the owners, their values and of how they choose to do business. I get a good sense how they work and create, how they interact with their employees and with customers. And which suppliers they choose. I decide to buy when all of that resonates with me.
Like in any good relationship, right?
So what about technology? What about the apps, software systems and platforms we use?
📷: Kaboompics_13436
Communication & choices
That is actually not very different for me. I choose as consiously as I can.
I look up the owners on internet, check their values and the terms, how they communicate and how they seem to make their choices, how they treat their employees. On the main website, but also user experiences on different not related sites.
Then I check in with myself, to see if all of that resonates. And that is not only a mental process of pros and cons. If I pay close attention (and I do) I can feel my body resonating as well. And I take my bodily feelings seriously. Also when it comes to technology.
Lately I have been moving away from many of the socials. Hoping for new platforms with different goals and values.
Always looking for alternatives
For me it is not easy to find technology that really feels good, where values are clear and met. So I am taking it step by step.
Taking a look at what I use, and whether it still feels okay.
For instance for video conferencing I have been checking out BraveTalk and Whereby as an alternative for MS Teams and Zoom. MS Teams I just don't use, does not resonate. I am still using Zoom, have not felt a major No yet, but have not taken the time to investigate them fully. However I like trying out alternatives.
Free means you are the product
As for chat / messenger apps, I let go of most of them: Facebook messenger, Whatsapp, Telegram, Signal... no more for me. Moving away from the socials as well. A great indication here: they are free of charge. If a product you use is free of charge, it mainly means that you are the product. And what could that mean? Is that something that feels okay?
For me mostly it is not, because the companies are not clear on how they use our data.
Recently Meta offered me a choice as a Facebook user to either switch to a paid subscription or keep using facebook free of charge, but then with advertisement. That choice, business wise is a clear one, one I can appreciate. But to be honest the values of Meta have not resonated with me for a while now.
Always check the terms
The definite No! came with the new terms. Including the fact that there was no clear personal notice in advance of the terms that go with the choice free/subsciption. Withint this choice there was no other option than to proceed and agree with the new terms. No option to go back, no option to delete my acccount without agreeing to the new terms first.
The terms told me that whatever I would update on facebook would be my IP, but Meta would have all rights to use, change and distribute world wide any content or post I would upload. That is ofcourse something that was alreay going on. But this time, reading the terms, for me it was a clear bodily No! I could not find a way to delete my account any other way than to first agree with the terms. In stead of maybe approaching Meta in a more legal way, decided I was not up for that. So I agreed with the terms and then deleted my Facebook account.
Now to be honest, I hate reading terms, especially when they are long. I prefer to skip them and just go with my feeling. But that is not a smart way these times to enter into a usage/collaboration. A while ago I ran into the first company (Dutch) that had really short and clear user terms, I loved it !! Unfortunately lost the link, but If I find it again, I will name it here.
Feel like sharing?
So how are you consious of what you use?
What are your experiences?
And what resonates for you?
This is a difficult path to navigate alone. And I can only tell you from my experiences
and my perspective. I am curious and would love to learn from you,
so please feel free to share.
Much love...
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