Podcast: Download

TEC330: Is it time to rethink how much control Big Tech has over your digital life? Dom Bettinelli and Thomas Sanjurjo take a hard look at what happens when you audit your tech habits and question long-standing dependencies on companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Inspired by a European case study, the discussion centers on whether privacy-focused EU alternatives can offer better value, stronger consumer protections, and greater peace of mind. What do you lose—and gain—when you trade convenience for intentional friction? The panel explores Proton’s expanding ecosystem, the ethics of “free” services, VPNs, search engines that don’t surveil you, and whether generative AI can exist without harvesting user data. They also address the realities that make leaving some platforms nearly impossible due to network effects. The conversation widens to current tech news, including alarming proposals to regulate 3D printing in Washington State and revelations about BitLocker encryption keys. Throughout, the episode challenges listeners to ask: Who really controls your technology—and at what cost?

Apple PodcastsYouTubeSpotifyAmazon MusicTuneInRSS

Get all new episodes automatically and for free:
Follow by Email | Listen to this episode and subscribe on YouTube.

Help us continue to offer Secrets of Technology. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today?

Links for this episode:

• Bye Bye Big Tech: How I Migrated to an almost All-EU Stack (and saved 500€ per year)
• How I Disconnected From Tech in 2025
• The Proton Ecosystem
• Mammouth AI
• Vivaldi Browser
• Ecosia Search
• Kagi Search
• DeepL Translation
• Scaleway
• NoIP
• Superlist
• Not Just Printers. It Bans Everything
• Washington’s 3D Printing Bills Are Bad for STEM, Business, and Open Source 3D Printing
• Microsoft Gave FBI a Set of BitLocker Encryption Keys to Unlock Suspects’ Laptops (TechCrunch)

• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!
• Join the conversation at the StarQuest Facebook page.
• Be part of the StarQuest Discord community at SQPN.com/discord
• Email us feedback or comments to [email protected]

Picks of the Week:

• Thomas: MacroFactor app – Smart Macro Tracker & Diet Coach
• Dom: Standard Ebooks: Free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover

Want to Sponsor A Show?
Support StarQuest’s mission to explore the intersection of faith and pop culture by becoming a named sponsor of the show of your choice on the StarQuest network. Click to get started or find out more.

Disclaimer: Hosts, panelists, and guests may have a financial interest in the companies discussed through investments or other means. Their opinions and recommendations are not affected and do not present a conflict of interest. We offer this statement in the interest of full disclosure.