Praise or Protest? The Power of Your Money

✅ Organizations I Support

These organizations provide real value to my digital life. If you've ever considered supporting them, now is a good time. Most make donating or subscribing simple, and even a small contribution helps. ¹

Organization	Purpose	My Support
Advent of Code	Annual programming puzzles	Annual donation
FreeBSD Foundation	FreeBSD operating system stewardship	Annual donation
Internet Archive	Preserving digital history	Annual donation
Linux Mint	Linux desktop operating system	Annual donation
Mastodon	Decentralized social network	Annual donation
Signal	Secure messaging and communications	Annual donation
SomaFM	Advertising-free internet radio	Annual donation
The Verge	Technology news and reporting	Subscription
TWiT TV	Technology podcasts and media	Subscription
Vivaldi	Privacy-focused web browser	Annual donation
Wikipedia	Free online encyclopedia and knowledge commons	Annual donation

❓ Considering Support

• Mozilla

Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email client, continues to do important work that the web needs. However, unclear leadership direction raises questions about its long-term vision. For now, that uncertainty keeps it off the list above. If the organization clarifies its path and priorities, it would be easy to move it into the “supported” category.

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❌ Resist & Boycott

These companies are ones I've chosen to stop supporting. That includes cancelling subscriptions and avoiding purchases of their products and services for the time being.

❌ I'm Avoiding	✅ My Alternatives and Countermeasures
Amazon	Shop local stores, Walmart
Apple	Buy used Apple gear, reduce services
Best Buy	Use any other company with good customer care
Google	Reduce dependencies on their service, run an ad blocker, use Vivaldi browser
Meta	Replace Facebook with Mastodon, run an ad blocker
Microsoft	Use other OS's like Linux Mint and FreeBSD, use Vivaldi browser
Netflix	Physical media, host a Jellyfin server
OpenAI/ChatGPT	Use LLM chatbot free tiers, Claude
Paramount	Physical media, host a Jellyfin server
Thomson Reuters	Use any other tax service
Verizon Wireless	Switch to US Mobile and other MVNOs

This decision comes down to a combination of questionable and harmful practices, policies, political alignment, and declining product value and customer support. Many of these companies once provided tremendous value, but their trajectory increasingly reflects what Cory Doctorow calls "enshittification."

Large technology companies respond to incentives. When customers withdraw financial support, it sends a clear signal that priorities have drifted too far from user interests.

Customers ultimately fund these companies. Profit matters, but it is not their only responsibility. When organizations lose sight of the people they serve, the most direct way to encourage change is straightforward: stop paying them until they earn that support again. Ironically, saying “enough” can be the strongest signal to spur meaningful change. Companies that respond benefit everyone—improving services, fostering competition, and rewarding those who act responsibly. Resisting, then, not only protects your own interests but also elevates the market as a whole.

Here's how you can help.