The Guardian’s latest investigation into Microsoft’s partnership with the Israeli military stopped me dead in my tracks.
According to the report, Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure has become the backbone of a mass surveillance project storing millions of intercepted Palestinian phone calls per day. This data has allegedly been used to inform military strikes and target civilians, which serves as a chilling example of how powerful technologies can be discreetly co-opted into devastating use.
Microsoft says it didn’t know how the data would be used. But let’s be real for just a moment. When you host the infrastructure for a military intelligence agency, plausible deniability starts to wear thin.
It begs the question:
Is it even possible to work in tech, or build a business using tech, without becoming complicit in harm?
Microsoft is Everywhere
This isn’t about one company. It’s about the scale of the tech / ethics problem.
Over 70% of global desktop computers run Windows. Microsoft Office is still the default for billions. Azure is the second-largest cloud provider after AWS. And for many businesses, including small, purpose-driven ones, opting out of Microsoft isn’t just hard. It’s almost unthinkable.
Because if you want your tech to work (think sync calendars, to automate workflows, to store files, to send emails reliably) Microsoft (or Google, or Amazon) is often where you end up unless you have time or money to throw at other solutions.
So what's the ethical alternative?
You can build a more ethical tech stack. It might look something like this:
Operating system: Linux (Ubuntu, Pop!_OS, etc.)
Email: ProtonMail or Tutanota
Cloud storage: Nextcloud or Tresorit
Project management: Focalboard, Taiga, or self-hosted tools
Web hosting: Green hosting companies like Krystal or Eco Web Hosting
I’d love to use and recommend these tools. But let’s be real, most are harder to integrate, slower to adopt, and often lack the polish and interoperability of their Big Tech counterparts.
And for small businesses, especially ones without dedicated IT support, the trade-offs are significant.
The risk of falling behind.
Here’s the rub:
If you build everything ethically, you risk being slower, less scalable, and more fragile. If you build for speed and efficiency, you often end up reinforcing monopolies, surveillance capitalism, or worse.
And for solopreneurs and small teams (the very people trying to make a positive difference) that’s not an easy burden to bear.
So what do we do?
We do what we can. We stay informed. We apply pressure. We diversify our tools. We talk about this stuff in the open.
But most of all, we stop pretending that tech is neutral, because it never was and never will be.
This isn’t a call to cancel Microsoft (though their role here deserves global scrutiny). It’s a call to be more conscious of the tools we use, who they serve, and what they enable — not just for us, but for everyone.
The solutions are messy. The decisions are imperfect. But the conversation is urgent.
So what do we do?
If you’re looking to move away from Big Tech — even partially — here’s what a more ethical and privacy-focused tech stack could look like. It’s not perfect. But it’s a start.
🌱 Operating Systems
Linux (Ubuntu / Pop!_OS / Elementary OS): Open-source, community-led alternatives to Windows and macOS. No telemetry. Customisable. Free.
GrapheneOS / /e/ OS (for mobile): De-Googled Android alternatives that prioritise privacy.
Proton Mail: End-to-end encrypted email based in Switzerland. Free tier available.
Tutanota: Another excellent privacy-first email provider, based in Germany.
Mailbox.org: Secure and ethical email with more traditional features for business users.
🗂️ Cloud Storage & File Sharing
Nextcloud: Self-hosted or hosted private cloud storage and collaboration platform.
Tresorit: Encrypted cloud storage with strong privacy standards.
Internxt: Decentralised, zero-knowledge cloud storage.
🧠 Office & Productivity
OnlyOffice / LibreOffice: Open-source alternatives to Microsoft Office.
CryptPad: Real-time collaborative office suite with encryption.
Standard Notes / Joplin: Encrypted note-taking tools.
👨💻 Project & Task Management
Taiga: Open-source project management for teams and solo users.
Focalboard: Self-hosted Trello alternative.
WeKan: Kanban-style task boards, open source and hosted locally or in the cloud.
📞 Video Calls & Communication
Jitsi Meet: Secure, open-source video conferencing — no login required.
Signal: End-to-end encrypted messaging and calling.
Matrix / Element: Federated, open-source chat network for decentralised comms.
🔐 Passwords & Security
Bitwarden: Open-source password manager (can be self-hosted).
KeePassXC: Local password manager with no cloud required.
SimpleLogin / AnonAddy: Email aliasing tools to protect your real email address.
🌍 Hosting & Domains
Krystal / Eco Web Hosting: UK-based, green-powered hosting companies.
1984 Hosting / OrangeWebsite: Ethical, privacy-respecting hosting providers.
Final Thoughts
No stack is perfect. No solution is free from compromise.
But choosing with care, even just one tool at a time, sends a signal. It slows down the creep of surveillance. It reminds us that a better internet is possible.
It’s not about being a purist. It’s about agency and sending the right signals.
And the more of us who try, the easier it becomes.