We Screwed Up: How We Lost Control of Our Data—And How to Take It Back

This tumultuous week in government has made one thing clear: we’ve screwed up.

As a world, as a country, we have failed in our approach to technology, privacy, and personal freedom.

The Internet Once Felt Like Freedom

Twenty years ago, these were hot topics. The rise of social media—Myspace, Facebook, LinkedIn—changed everything. These platforms began gobbling up our data, and we—ordinary users—handed it over without a second thought.

We did it to socialize, to stay connected. Early Facebook was fun—every day brought a new friend request from someone you hadn’t seen in years. New acquaintances quickly became online friends, ensuring you never lost track of anyone.

But with every click, we were handing over control.

I once believed deeply in privacy and civil liberties. But as social media exploded, it became clear: trying to hold onto privacy was like trying to hold ground against a tidal wave.

Resistance felt impossible.

Back When Tech Was the Good Guy

At first, the tech industry still felt idealistic.

Yes, Myspace got swallowed by Fox, but they tanked it quickly. Meanwhile, Google stood firm—refusing government demands for private data, championing net neutrality, embracing open-source ethics.

Major tech projects were built not just for profit, but for the sake of innovation. Even businesses saw the value of openness—the marketing world thrived on giving things away, sharing ideas, helping others grow.

For a brief moment, it seemed like we had a system that worked.

Enter the Techno-Industrial Complex

But while we were busy liking and sharing, the tech industry was mutating.

The same billionaires who once championed open-source and decentralization quietly built surveillance companies (Palantir), defense contractors (SpaceX), and AI-driven war machines (Google).

Consider PayPal, originally founded by Peter Thiel and Elon Musk under the guise of libertarian principles—a tool to weaken government control over money.

Now? Those same founders work hand-in-hand with the military-industrial complex.

And then came Trump’s inauguration, an image burned into my memory:

Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sundar Pichai—all lined up, eager to meet the new power structure.

This wasn’t a government for the people.

This was a government for those people.

And they control our data.

How We Lost Control

We watched monopolies form in real time.

We trusted the government to prevent unchecked corporate power, but it stood by and did nothing.

We, as consumers, handed over our power, again and again.

And that’s why we are where we are today.

It’s Not Too Late—Here’s How We Fight Back

We can undo what we’ve given them.

Elon Musk is worth $426 billion—but most of that is stocks and valuation. If people stopped buying Teslas, if they stopped using Starlink and X (Twitter), much of his wealth would evaporate overnight.

If we stopped using Amazon, if we canceled Prime, Jeff Bezos’ valuation would plummet.

These billionaires aren’t loyal to governments or ideology—they’re loyal to power. If their revenue disappears, they will turn on the system they helped create.

Meta and Google make nearly all of their money from ads.

Let’s stop buying.

More importantly: let’s take back our data.

My Mission: Teaching You to Reclaim Your Digital Life

This blog exists to help you break free.

To teach you how to assert your independence.

To show you how to reclaim your internet privacy without sacrificing convenience.

You might have to switch a few brands, but the tools are already out there.

The original fight for freedom, privacy, and digital autonomy isn’t lost.It’s time to take back control.