The Peaceful Return is a people's movement evolving to meet the urgency of this moment. What began as a long-term vision to undo corporate capture of our democracy has become something more immediate: a peaceful, strategic walkout from the Big 5 Tech platforms and monopolies that have embedded themselves in both our government and our lives. They are no longer neutral platform, - they are active agents of surveillance, manipulation and social control. They've sold our data, eroded our privacy, amplified division and now stand complicit in a corporate-backed coup that is threatening the foundations of our democracy. 

We are not just dreaming of change. We are initiating it. On April 22nd, Earth Day, we begin the Digital Exodus: a united movement to take back our power, our attention, and our voices.

The Mission
To reclaim our democracy - peacefully, powerfully, and together. We seek to build a system that reflects the values of fairness, liberty, and justice for all. While we still support long-term goals like reversing Citizens United and reforming corporate lobbying, we recognize that these actions will be nearly impossible without first disrupting the power structure that is accelerating right now.
 
Why Tech? Why Now?
Corporations, especially Big Tech, wield massive influence over policy, media, and the economy. As many are realizing, what we’re witnessing isn’t just political chaos; it’s an ideological coup aligned with the goals of Project 2025. But this moment could not unfold at the scale it has without the tools and complicity of the Big 5 tech platforms, the infrastructure that tracks us, distracts us, and amplifies division. And it’s moving fast. Waiting four more years is not an option. We don’t even have until September.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about leverage. We must act with focused, collective power NOW and hold the line until they stop. Even if you can leave 4 of the 5 platforms, that's good enough. Don't let perfection be the enemy of the good. Every single action, every single person matters.

The Digital Exodus: By Earth Day we have stopped supporting the Big 5:
  • Amazon - Stopped buying on Amazon; cancelled Amazon Prime, any subscriptions related to is as well as Washington Post
  • Apple: Stopped buying new Apple products, Cancelled all Apple Subscriptions
  • Meta: Deactivate or delete all Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads)
  • Google - Migrated from Gmail (if possible), Chrome, Google to other browsers and search engines
  • X - delete, never to return

Preparation Steps:
In the days leading up to Earth day, we set up a soft landing for us to connect off the above platforms.
  • To replace Social Media (Meta/X)
    • Exchange emails and phone numbers before you leave Meta platforms
    • Create or join a Discord or Matrix server (algorithm-free community space)
    • Join Bluesky and/or Mastodon and bring your friends
    • Reconnect on LinkedIn
  • To Replace Google/ABC
    • Switch from Chrome browser to another one such as Firefox or DuckDuckGo.
    • Instead of Google, use Yahoo or even ChatGPT search as a stopgap in the meantime.
    • Cancel YouTube Subscriptions, minimize YouTube use as much as possible
  • To replace Amazon
    • Groceries: Switch to local stores or Instacart (which has some ethical concerns too, but at least allows choice in vendors). Food co-ops and farmers markets when possible.
    • TV/Streaming: I’m just using Netflix now - there's also Kanopy (free with library card), or select subscriptions you can pay for directly (rather than via Amazon Prime). YouTube and Spotify for curated movement playlists. (although YouTube is google, so trying to minimize that too)
    • Office + Home Goods: Staples / Office Depot for supplies; Target, Costco, or even Walmart (depending on your stance); Etsy or local craft stores for more sustainable or handmade items; Thriftbooks.com or Bookshop.org for books; Chewy for pet supplies
    • Groceries - Thrive Market for health & pantry items (subscription, but ethical alternative)
    • Delay purchases, trade with friends, and rediscover that we don’t need as much as we thought, which is a whole other liberation.
    • Cancel Washington Post (owned by Bezos) - sign up for The Atlantic or The Guardian.
  • To replace Apple
    • Apple TV - Cancel
    • Apple News  - Cancel and sign up for individual subscriptions or just read public news for now.
    • Apple Storage - I don't know how to fix this one for those who have iPhones
    • For now, just hold off on buying any new products unless absolutely necessary.
    • Increase security on phone so they can't monetize your data

By Earth Day, April 22nd, we are OFF.
And we stay off—for 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or however long it takes.

Join the Movement
Sign up for the Peaceful Return mailing list for updates, calls to action, and connection to a growing community. If you are interested in providing feedback, or volunteering for the cause, you can send a message on the contact form.
Reopening J.E.D.I. Writers
J.E.D.I. (Just Effing Do It) Writers is a community writing group held on Zoom, and is now free and open to anyone who wants to write letters, take action and push back against corporate capture, together. When you sign up for the Peaceful Return Movement above, you will automatically get updates on community writing sessions.
Final Word
We don’t need to wait for permission. We don’t need to wait for politicians. The power is with us, the people. The Peaceful Return is not just about digital detox. It’s about reclaiming our agency.

April 22nd is our deadline. And our beginning.

Let’s move forward. Together

Longer-term Vision

Once we disrupt the current momentum of corporate authoritarian capture, we return to the systemic reforms that matter most:
  • Reverse Citizens United
  • Limit Corporate Lobbying
  • End Corporate Welfare & Unfair Tax Breaks
  • End the "Revolving Door" Between Government and Corporations
  • Strengthen Anti-Trust Laws
  • Reform Political Campaign Finance
  • Implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Regulations
1. Reverse Citizens United (2010 Supreme Court Ruling)
  • Action: Push for a constitutional amendment to undo the Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited corporate donations to political campaigns, giving corporations undue influence over elections and elected officials.
  • ​Why It’s Critical: This ruling has turned elections into a battle of money, not ideas, making it harder for everyday citizens to have their voices heard in the democratic process.
 
2. Enact Legislation to Limit Corporate Lobbying
  • Action: Advocate for stricter limits on corporate lobbying and corporate-funded political action committees (PACs). This includes:
    • Caps on lobbying expenditures by corporations.
    • Transparency laws requiring public disclosure of lobbying activities and expenditures.
  • Why It’s Critical: Corporations often have more influence on policy than the voters who elected representatives, because of their access to lobbyists and campaign contributions. Limiting this influence can help ensure that legislation better reflects the needs of the people, not just corporate interests.
 
3. End Corporate Welfare and Unfair Tax Breaks
  • Action: Push for legislation to end corporate welfare and close tax loopholes that allow large companies (like Apple and Amazon) to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. This could involve:
    • Tax reform that closes offshore tax shelters and ends tax breaks that disproportionately benefit large corporations.
    • Equitable tax policies that require big corporations to pay taxes commensurate with the benefits they receive from public services like infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
  • Why It’s Critical: Corporate welfare disproportionately benefits the wealthiest companies, while small and medium businesses, as well as regular citizens, end up carrying the tax burden. This creates an unlevel playing field and further entrenches economic inequality.
 
4. End the "Revolving Door" Between Government and Corporations
  • Action: Enact stronger laws to prevent the "revolving door" between government agency heads and corporate positions. This can be done by:
    • Implementing waiting periods or outright bans for former government officials to take corporate positions that could lead to conflicts of interest.
    • Increasing transparency on government employees who transition into corporate roles, particularly in industries they once regulated.
  • Why It’s Critical: When top officials from regulatory agencies join the very companies they were supposed to oversee, it creates a conflict of interest that prioritizes corporate power over public interest. Stopping this practice would help ensure that the public’s interests come first.
 
5. Strengthen Anti-Trust Laws
  • Action: Advocate for the strengthening of anti-trust laws to break up monopolies and prevent corporations from becoming too large or too powerful.
    • Enforce anti-competitive practices laws that prevent large corporations from using unfair practices to dominate markets, pushing smaller businesses out and increasing consumer prices.
  • Why It’s Critical: Monopolies stifle innovation, harm consumers, and contribute to the growing concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few corporations.
 
6. Strengthen Political Campaign Finance Reform
  • Action: Push for the reform of political campaign financing, including:
    • Public financing of elections to level the playing field for candidates not backed by wealthy donors.
    • Capping individual contributions to political campaigns to prevent the ultra-wealthy from having disproportionate influence.
  • Why It’s Critical: Campaign financing reform can reduce the undue influence of corporate money and ensure that elected officials work for their constituents, not corporate donors.
 
7. Implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Regulations
  • Action: Mandate stronger CSR regulations that require corporations to report on and be held accountable for their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts.
    • Encourage the adoption of sustainable business practices that prioritize environmental stewardship and community welfare over profits.
  • Why It’s Critical: Holding corporations accountable for their societal impacts can reduce harmful practices and incentivize them to prioritize people and the planet alongside profits.