Introduction

You’ve got absolutely not a clue…About anything digital

Many -but especially US Services Are Built for Surveillance

Ever heard of the Patriot Act or the Cloud Act?- These laws basically give the US government access to data stored on American servers—even if you don’t live in the US That means companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple and Facebook can be forced to hand over your data without you ever knowing. And it has already happened many times

But it doesn’t stop there The PRISM program exposed by Edward Snowden in 2013 showed just how deep the surveillance goes PRISM is a mass surveillance system run by the NSA where US intelligence agencies collect and analyze data from major tech companies Emails video calls messages search history—you name it they can see it, and it’s not just Americans being watched, PRISM targets everyone including Europeans, Scandinavians and other foreign nationals

Europe is Not Safe from US Surveillance

Many people in Europe believe that GDPR protects them from mass surveillance but the reality is much different If you’re using US-based services your data is still at risk because

US laws override GDPR when data is stored or processed by US companies Even if you’re in Europe if your data touches a US-based service the NSA can access it if it wants to

European governments collaborate with US intelligence Countries like the UK Sweden Germany and France have data-sharing agreements with the US meaning your private data could easily end up in an NSA database

Cloud providers in Europe are often subsidiaries of US companies For example Amazon AWS Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure all have European data centers but they are still subject to the Cloud Act meaning US authorities can demand access

European Governments Also Run Their Own Surveillance Programs

If you think European countries are innocent in this game think again. Many European nations run their own mass surveillance operations that collect and store citizen data

Sweden’s FRA law allows the Swedish National Defence Radio Establishment FRA to monitor cross-border communications Sweden has also been caught sharing intelligence with the NSA

The UK’s Tempora program captures vast amounts of internet traffic passing through British infrastructure and shares it with the US

Germany’s BND Federal Intelligence Service was exposed for illegally spying on European citizens and sharing data with US agencies

France’s Lustre program operates similarly to PRISM collaborating with the NSA for intelligence sharing

So even if you live in Europe and think GDPR protects you the reality is that your government may already be sharing your data with the US

There are many things you can do

You don’t have to trade your privacy for the convenience of the internet. You can take real steps to protect your data and limit how much Big Tech can track you. Here’s how:

1. Ditch Surveillance Email

Stop using Gmail and Outlook—they’re goldmines for data collection. Instead, switch to ProtonMail (Switzerland) or Tutanota (Germany), both offering end-to-end encryption and strong privacy protections.

2. Use a Truly Private Messaging App

WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram aren’t as private as they claim—they store metadata and can be compelled to share it. Use Matrix , Threema , Session or Signal to keep your chats private and secure.

3. Choose a Privacy-First VPN

Not all VPNs are equal. Many log your data or operate under surveillance-heavy jurisdictions. Go for OVPN, Mullvad or Proton VPN—They all have strict no-logs policies and OVPN have proven it in court..

4. Take Back Control of Your Files

Google Drive and Dropbox scan and analyze your files. Instead, use Nextcloud, Tresorit, Proton Drive or Infomaniak kDrive for encrypted, privacy-first cloud storage.

5. Browse Without Being Tracked

Google sees every search you make. Instead, switch to Startpage (Netherlands) or Qwant (France), which don’t log your queries. Pair them with Firefox (hardened with privacy add-ons) or Brave for safer browsing.

6. Escape Big Tech Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, and X collect every interaction to build detailed profiles on you. Move to Mastodon (decentralized Twitter alternative) and Pixelfed (decentralized Instagram alternative) for privacy-friendly social networking.

You don’t need to do it all at once—start with one change, then another. The more people move away from data-harvesting platforms, the harder it becomes for corporations and governments to maintain mass surveillance. Your data is yours—take it back.

You can find T-Vaults list of recommended services here: Privacy