Migrating to the EU
This post details one user's comprehensive migration of digital services to EU-based providers, driven by a desire for enhanced data protection and geopolitical alignment. The author provides a candid review of their choices, from email to Git hosting, highlighting both successes and compromises. The Hacker News community actively engages with the premise, leading to a vibrant discussion about the true merits of EU privacy laws and practical advice for undertaking such a digital exodus.
The Lowdown
Driven by global political considerations and a pursuit of superior data protection, the author embarked on a mission to relocate personal services and subscriptions from non-EU entities to European alternatives. This "interim report" outlines their journey, aiming for equivalent or better quality at reasonable prices, and serves as a blueprint for others considering a similar shift.
- Mail Services: Initially moving from Fastmail, the author found mailbox.org lacking custom sender address capabilities. They ultimately settled on Uberspace, a "pay what you want" provider, using Thunderbird for Android as a client.
- Calendar: Lacking a built-in calendar, Uberspace was augmented with NextCloud for CalDAV/CardDAV functionality, using Thunderbird (desktop) and DAVx5/Fossil Calendar (Android).
- Web Hosting: The author consolidated web hosting onto Uberspace, replacing a Hetzner VPS and adapting their site from Nginx to Apache's SSI implementation.
- Domains and DNS: After a long tenure with Namecheap, hosting.de was chosen for its German location, pricing, and .is domain availability.
- Git Hosting: Moving away from GitHub and self-hosted Gitea, all repositories were migrated to Codeberg, a German non-profit.
- VPN: Mullvad remained the service of choice, being a Swedish company already satisfying the author's criteria for privacy and reliability.
- Mobile & Desktop OS: A move from a work Pixel 6 and Chromebook involved purchasing a Pixel 9a for GrapheneOS (with Play Store for essential apps) and an old MacBook Air for MX Linux with Fluxbox, aiming to replace the Chromebook.
This detailed account offers a practical guide to de-Googling and de-US-ifying one's digital life, demonstrating that while challenging, it is achievable by carefully selecting providers aligned with personal data sovereignty goals.
The Gossip
Email Exodus Expertise
Many commenters resonated with the challenge of migrating away from dominant email providers like Gmail, acknowledging the deep integration of email into online identities. A common sentiment was that it's a gradual process, often taking months or even a year, rather than an instantaneous switch. Users offered practical advice, such as setting up email forwarding, systematically updating linked services via password managers, and using one's own domain to ease future transitions. Alternatives like Proton, Tuta, and Mailbox.org were frequently suggested as EU-friendly options, though some lamented the lack of a Fastmail equivalent in the region.
Jurisdictional Jousting
The discussion quickly turned to the core premise: Is EU data protection truly superior? While some asserted the EU's commitment to the rule of law and democracy, others expressed skepticism. Commenters questioned the EU's internal judicial processes, citing instances where police or prosecutors can issue warrants without significant judicial review, and the potential for European Investigation Orders (EIOs) to compel data sharing across borders. This debate highlighted the complex landscape of digital sovereignty, with some arguing that despite its flaws, the EU offers a better alternative compared to jurisdictions like the US, which can exert influence over data stored abroad (e.g., via the Cloud Act).
Alternative Acquisitions & Git Grievances
The community actively contributed suggestions for European service providers across various categories. For Git hosting, while Codeberg was praised, users sought alternatives for non-FOSS projects or discussed the merits of self-hosting, noting that 'git' itself is simple, but the 'web interfaces' (issues, PRs, wikis) complicate things. Forgejo and Sourcehut were mentioned as other open, EU-based options. For general hosting, Hetzner was a popular recommendation. The conversation also touched upon the difficulty of finding specific features, such as advanced calendar integration in privacy-focused suites like Proton, indicating that compromises are often necessary when prioritizing location and data policies.