TL;DR
Every rung cuts a different lever of power.
Platforms win when you give them time, signals, and data — and when you stay dependent. This ladder attacks those levers in order.
Pick one rung this week
- 10 mins: Starve their attention
- 20 mins: Stop training their algorithm
- 45 mins: Cut their data harvest
- 60–90 mins: Break their lock-in
- Finish: Walk away
Progress beats purity. Climb when you’re ready.
Boycotts work when they hit the business model.
The Ladder
Rung 1
Starve their attention
Fewer sessions. Fewer ad impressions. Weaker habit loops.
fast win
Rung 2
Stop training their algorithm
Worse personalisation. Less manipulation. Lower value targeting.
make it boring
Rung 3
Cut their data harvest
Less tracking power. Less profiling. Less identity linkage.
shrink the profile
Rung 4
Break their lock-in
You become harder to retain. Their future revenue weakens.
exit prep
Rung 5
Walk away
You stop being an active user — the headline number they sell.
the finishRung 1: Starve their attention
What this does to them
Fewer sessions, fewer ad impressions, weaker habit loops.
Do this (10 minutes)
- Turn off all non-essential notifications (push + email digests).
- Disable autoplay where relevant.
- Remove widgets, pinned shortcuts, and “suggested content” panels.
- Move the app off your home screen (or into a deep folder).
Win condition: you stop getting pulled back without choosing to.
Rung 2: Stop training their algorithm
What this does to them
Worse personalisation, weaker manipulation, less profitable targeting.
Do this (10–20 minutes)
- Stop liking/reacting out of habit.
- Unfollow/mute accounts that spike outrage, comparison, or doomscrolling.
- Turn off personalised recommendations where possible.
- Use “not interested / hide / show less” aggressively.
Win condition: your feed gets less hypnotic and more boring.
Rung 3: Cut their data harvest
What this does to them
Less tracking power, less profiling, less identity linkage.
Do this (20–40 minutes)
- Switch off anything you don’t need (location history, ad personalisation, contacts access).
- Revoke app permissions on your phone: location/camera/mic/contacts = off by default.
- Clear history where it meaningfully reduces profiling (watch/search/location depending on service).
- Remove your phone number where possible, or move to a non-primary number if you must keep one.
Win condition: they lose the “full picture” of your life.
Rung 4: Break their lock-in
What this does to them
You become harder to retain; they lose future revenue and control.
Do this (30–90 minutes)
- Move your people: tell key contacts where to reach you next (Signal/email/phone).
- Move your stuff: download/export your data (photos, files, posts, contacts).
- Move your logins: replace “Sign in with X” elsewhere with email/password.
- Move your routines: choose replacements and make them the new default.
Win condition: you could leave tomorrow without panic.
Rung 5: Walk away
What this does to them
You stop being an active user — the headline number they sell.
Do this (when you’re ready)
- Delete/close the account (or deactivate as a stepping stone).
- Remove remaining apps, saved passwords, and bookmarks.
- Revoke remaining connections and clear cookies for that service.
Win condition: you’re out — and your life still works.
Choose a platform guide
Same ladder, different traps. Each guide maps the five rungs to exact settings and actions.
Small moves add up. Public counts make it real.