Set Your Calendars and Contacts Free
Gmail to Independent Email
Illustration by Florian Biege
Free? Only on the surface: You pay for using Google‘s Gmail with your data. After all, your email address is part of your digital identity. In contrast to Google, other providers respect their users’ freedom of choice: They charge a small monthly fee (around €1 to €3), but are ad-free, securely encrypted, and operate under strict EU data protection laws. There, you are the customer, not the product. If you’ve made up your mind to go for it, you can get started:
Different ways to cook
Our digital switch recipes provide an easy, simple way to give Big Tech the push, but there are other options available. We have tried to make it easy by focusing on a single approach and a small number of options, but there are other alternatives that are just as good. After all, what we mean by ‘good’, ‘not so good’ and ‘bad’ is open to debate: DI.DAY is about easy ways to give Big Tech the push (without getting into purism or being preachy). Our decisions are based on advice from our advisory panel.
An overview of the alternatives is available on the next page:
Ingredients
€1 per month
1 account
For example, with Posteo.de (green, secure, anonymous), Mailbox.org (secure email from Germany), Proton.me (Swiss, strong encryption), or Tuta (consistently encrypted, based in Hanover, Germany). A list of additional trustworthy providers can be found in this blog (Mike Kuketz) or at Digitalcourage.
Preparation
1 Create an account with a new provider
2 The relocation service
Almost all reputable providers offer a “relocation service“. You enter your Gmail details, and the new provider automatically transfers all your old emails and folders.
3 Address book
Export your contacts in Google (google.com/contacts) as vCard or CSV. Import this file into the webmail section of your new provider.
4 Automatic reply
Set up an automatic reply in Gmail: “I'm moving! From now on, please email me at [new address].”
Dessert
Change your address bit by bit with key services (bank, insurance company). Enjoy the peace of mind that no AI is reading your love letters or bills to show you ads.
Enjoy your meal! You have just taken a big step towards a more independent digital existence.
Once you #DIDit – share our post about the digital switch and inspire others to take control of their own digital lives!
Topping
Posteo.de and Mailbox.org use 100% green electricity and are politically committed to data protection. Proton.me offers a free basic version if you are on a tight budget.
