Another reason to not use #Google - they'll readily share your data with the government and give you minimal opportunities to respond.

@ncoca Wow, that's some Cambodian IMO dictator Hun Sen next level stuff.

They privately criticized in an e-mail the regime of IMO Lord Supreme Megadictator and Military Leader, the Mighty Donald Trump, President of the Holy State Empire of America, សម្ដេចអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោ ដូណាល់ ត្រាំ ប្រធានាធិបតី​នៃព្រះរដ្ឋាណាចក្រអាមេរិក​(which is the exact title of Hun Sen, just adapted to Donald Trump)!

I feel

e x t r e m e l y s t r o n g c o n t e m p t

towards the US regime when I am seeing this.

#trump #hunsen #usa #cambodia #dictator #dictatorship #totalitarianism #freedomofspeech #freespeech #privacy #authoritarianism #abuse #authoritarianabuse #contempt #regime #us

@ncoca The greater offense here is the DHS official who sent #DHS agents to harass someone who exercised his protected right to speak.

Don't expect #Google or any corporation in any country to risk the state taking legal action against them to defend the rights of their customers. They won't.

@ariarhythmic @ncoca

First I would recommend to get your own domain. Then you can just switch mail provider by changing DNS entries.

Then go to a hosted which allows you to connect your own domain. If you want to use a European based service (GDPR applies as soon as the provider is in the EU) I would recommend having a look on mailbox.org and posteo.de

And for receiving the emails: Thunderbird on Desktop and Android, on iOS maybe just use their build in client.

@ncoca Did you read about this case, because apparently google didn't actually act on the administrative warrant. That was my understanding of the details when the ACLU acted on his behalf.

Not that I have any love for google or want to defend them, but government is obviously able to track him in other ways.

@ncoca
Interesting article.
To the articles closing question to the reader:

"...during the first half of 2025 as Trump’s second term began, with Google receiving 28,622, a 15 percent increase over the previous six months. Jon was fortunate to have his case picked up by the ACLU and later reported on by a national media outlet. How many others in the U.S. haven’t been so lucky and face legal challenges for exercising their right to free speech?"

Answer: 28,621
Stay loud everyone.

@ncoca

god this is silly

are there any practical alternatives to Google that are also better ?

probably not

@jonasgraphie @ncoca Not everyone is able to get their own domain

@ncoca

I quit using google years ago

@Remittancegirl @ncoca

The article is very disturbing, but I was glad (and surprised) that Google did not provide the information. Good for Google, but I'm still working to move away from Google. More than anything, this article shows how vulnerable we all are to governmental surveillance and intimidation.

@juliesbits @ncoca The problem is, it's scary to have to rely on the kindness or diligence of google. They're not going to stick their necks out much to protect your rights.

But yea, that is the thing - so vulnerable, right?

@ariarhythmic @ncoca

The other suggestions I was mentioning are still relevant without a domain.

May I ask what reasons you see why not everyone can have their domain? I would see financial reasons or the need for anonymity.

@ariarhythmic @ncoca for mail, @runbox is very effective, I've been a satisfied customer for almost ten years. The few times I needed support it was very responsive. They are located in Norway, with strong privacy laws. And if I remember well, employees are also owners. It is not free, but very reasonably priced.

If you need other Google services (Sheet, Documents, etc.), probably Nextcloud is the closest

@ncoca
It’s not only Google. All U.S. companies must share their data with the government if requested. Microsoft, Amazon… all of them, big or small.

See CLOUD Act.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CLOUD_Act