I am proud to say I don't use a single google service, and haven't in years. Now, if someone sends me a YouTube link, I watch it (in an invidious instance, of course) and I use some metasearch engines which rely on google to a large degree, hut I don't have a google account, I use no google services, have no google applications installed anywhere.<p>The same applies to Meta and Microsoft as well, and some others. I have a general rule, if a company does something, anything at all, that translates to "fuck you what are you going to do about it you need us more than we need you" then I cease using <i>all</i> their services immediately, no matter how painful. Require me to sign in to use a local application? Demand updates and install them automatically, or prevent me from continuing until I update? Bye, forever. This means I don't have a video game console of any kind, I often get my emails sent to spam, I do quite a bit of my own user infrastructure maintenance, and my experience is alien to a lot of other people, but let me tell you, I'm free and I feel it 24/7. My mind is free from worry about losing access to these things, I don't think about what I am allowed to say, almost ever, I'm not subject to attempts to manipulate my behavior nearly as often, I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, no matter how difficult. I've got a secret for you: it's only difficult because you've been trained to do things their way for so long. Their way is not actually easier or more convenient, you're just not used to the other way <i>any more.</i> But you used to be, there used to be a time when they couldn't treat you this way, they still can't unless you let them, they've spent enormous resources convincing you that you don't have a choice, but you do, they need you more than you need them, you don't have to take this abuse, stop giving your patronage to companies who treat you like this or none of this will ever get any better.