ZeroG Project

Privacy Guide

The Complete Guide to Ditching Amazon

Free yourself from Amazon's ecosystem with ethical shopping alternatives, privacy-focused replacements for Alexa, Kindle, and Prime Video.

15 min read
Updated May 2025
Privacy Team

Table of Contents

Why Ditch Amazon?

Amazon has grown from an online bookstore into a global behemoth that dominates e-commerce, cloud computing, entertainment, and smart home devices. Behind this convenience empire lies a concerning business model built on worker exploitation, aggressive market control, and pervasive digital surveillance.1

The True Cost of Convenience
Amazon's apparent convenience comes at a hidden cost: aggressive worker monitoring and unrealistic productivity targets2, environmental damage from excessive shipping and packaging4, and constant data collection through shopping habits, Alexa devices, and Ring cameras.5,9

The Cost of Amazon's "Convenience"

  • Worker Exploitation: Warehouse employees face grueling conditions, inadequate breaks, and injury rates nearly double the industry average2
  • Monopolistic Practices: Predatory pricing and preferential treatment of Amazon's own products crush small businesses3
  • Environmental Impact: Massive carbon footprint from shipping, packaging waste, and data centers4
  • Privacy Concerns: Extensive data collection through shopping, Alexa, Ring cameras, and other devices5
  • Tax Avoidance: Despite billions in profits, Amazon has repeatedly paid minimal federal taxes6

Recent Controversies

  • Union Busting: Aggressive anti-union tactics at warehouses nationwide7
  • Alexa Recording Concerns: Voice assistants recording private conversations and analyzed by human employees8
  • Ring Surveillance Network: Partnerships with police departments creating neighborhood surveillance networks9
  • AWS and Government Contracts: Providing technology for controversial surveillance and military applications10
  • Treatment of Third-Party Sellers: Using seller data to develop competing products11

Before You Start

Take Your Time
Don't rush this process. Amazon's ecosystem is designed to create dependencies. It's better to transition gradually and ensure each step works properly before moving to the next one.
1

Download Your Data

Request your personal data from Amazon to retain order history, reviews, and other information before closing your account. Visit here

2

Evaluate Your Dependencies

Take inventory of all Amazon services you use: shopping, Prime Video, Music, Kindle, Audible, Alexa, AWS, etc.

3

Choose Your Alternatives

Set up accounts with ethical alternatives before completely disconnecting from Amazon.

4

Plan Your Timeline

Give yourself time to transition. Start with easy replacements and gradually tackle more complex migrations.

Replace Amazon Shopping

Amazon's e-commerce dominance often obscures better alternatives that respect workers, privacy, and local economies.

Local Businesses

vs Amazon Shopping
Supporting local businesses creates jobs in your community and reduces environmental impact from shipping.
  • Support your community economy
  • Reduced environmental impact
  • Personal customer service
  • Product expertise and curation
Try Local Businesses

Bookshop.org

vs Amazon Books
An online bookstore that financially supports local, independent bookstores with every purchase.
  • Supports independent bookstores
  • Competitive pricing
  • Wide selection of titles
  • Easy online ordering
Try Bookshop.org

Etsy

vs Amazon Handmade
Marketplace for unique handcrafted goods, vintage items, and craft supplies from independent sellers.
  • Handmade and vintage items
  • Direct support for artisans
  • Unique products
  • Global marketplace of small sellers
Try Etsy
Pro Tip
Create a list of your regularly purchased items and find direct alternatives for each. Install browser extensions like "DontTrack" or "Privacy Badger" to block Amazon's tracking across the web.

Alternatives to Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video comes with privacy concerns and ties you to the Amazon ecosystem. These alternatives offer great content without the surveillance.

Jellyfin

vs Prime Video
Free, open source media server software that lets you build your own streaming service with complete privacy.
  • Free and open source
  • Self-hosted media server
  • No tracking or data collection
  • Stream your own content library
Try Jellyfin

Kanopy

vs Prime Video
Free streaming service available through many public libraries, offering thoughtful entertainment.
  • Free with library card
  • High-quality films and documentaries
  • Educational content
  • No advertisements
Try Kanopy

Replace Kindle and E-books

Amazon's Kindle dominates e-reading but locks you into their ecosystem and tracks your reading habits.

Kobo

vs Kindle
E-readers and e-book store with better privacy practices and support for more open formats.
  • Wide selection of e-books
  • Privacy-respecting policies
  • Library integration
  • Multiple device support
Try Kobo

Libby

vs Kindle Unlimited
Free access to e-books and audiobooks through your local library, with a modern, user-friendly interface.
  • Free library e-books and audiobooks
  • Works with most e-readers
  • No purchase necessary
  • Support public libraries
Try Libby
E-book Format Conversion
If you have existing Kindle books and want to read them on other devices, tools like Calibre can help convert them to more open formats. Note that this may require removing DRM, which could violate terms of service.

Alexa Alternatives

Amazon's Alexa constantly listens in your home and sends data back to Amazon's servers.

Mycroft

vs Amazon Alexa
Open source voice assistant that prioritizes privacy and gives you control over your data.
  • Open source voice assistant
  • Privacy-focused
  • Local processing options
  • No data selling or advertising
Try Mycroft

Home Assistant

vs Amazon Smart Home
Open source home automation platform that puts privacy and local control first, with no cloud dependency.
  • Local smart home control
  • No cloud dependency
  • Extensive device compatibility
  • Privacy by design
Try Home Assistant
Technical Note
Setting up alternatives like Mycroft or Home Assistant requires some technical knowledge. However, the privacy benefits are substantial, and there are helpful communities to guide you through the process.

Cloud Storage Options

Amazon Web Services (AWS) powers much of the internet but also enables mass surveillance and has questionable environmental practices.

Nextcloud

vs AWS Storage
Self-hosted cloud storage solution that gives you complete control over your data and privacy.
  • Self-hosted cloud storage
  • File sync and sharing
  • Calendar and contacts
  • Collaboration tools
Try Nextcloud

Linode/DigitalOcean

vs AWS
Independent cloud providers with better privacy policies, transparent pricing, and strong performance.
  • Independent cloud providers
  • Transparent pricing
  • Better privacy policies
  • Strong performance
Try Linode/DigitalOcean

Migration Timeline

Leaving Amazon's ecosystem requires careful planning. Here's a suggested timeline for a smooth transition.

Week 1: Assessment
5-7 days
  • Take inventory of all Amazon services you currently use
  • Download your purchase history, reviews, and digital content
  • Research ethical alternatives for each service
  • Create a priority list for migration (start with easiest)
Weeks 2-3: Shopping Transition
10-14 days
  • Create accounts on alternative shopping sites (Bookshop.org, Etsy, etc.)
  • Find local stores for regular purchases and essentials
  • Update payment methods and shipping addresses on new platforms
  • Make your first purchases through alternative retailers
Weeks 4-5: Entertainment Migration
10-14 days
  • Set up alternative streaming services (Jellyfin, Kanopy, etc.)
  • Transfer e-books or make note of titles to repurchase
  • Download any purchased music to local storage
  • Create personal media server if using self-hosted options
Weeks 6-7: Smart Home Reconfiguration
10-14 days
  • Replace Alexa devices with privacy-focused alternatives
  • Set up Home Assistant or Mycroft for voice commands
  • Reconfigure smart home integrations and automations
  • Test new systems thoroughly before removing Amazon devices
Week 8: Final Separation
7+ days
  • Cancel Prime membership and other Amazon subscriptions
  • Remove payment methods from your Amazon account
  • Delete or deactivate your Amazon account
  • Uninstall all Amazon apps from your devices (Shopping, Kindle, Prime Video, Alexa)
Handling Exclusives
For Amazon-exclusive products or services you can't replace, consider whether they're truly necessary or if there are functional alternatives with similar features.

Final Steps & Cleanup

Once you've migrated to alternative platforms, it's time to clean up your digital footprint and secure your privacy.

1

Cancel Prime Membership

Navigate to Account > Prime Membership and follow the cancellation steps. Visit here

2

Remove Payment Methods

Delete all saved credit cards and payment information from your Amazon account. Visit here

3

Delete Your Amazon Account

For complete separation, permanently delete your account through Amazon Customer Service. Visit here

4

Uninstall Apps & Browser Extensions

Remove all Amazon-related apps from your devices: Shopping, Kindle, Prime Video, Alexa, etc.

Congratulations!
You've successfully reduced your dependence on Amazon and taken a stand for worker rights, small businesses, and privacy. Every purchase you make elsewhere is a vote for a more ethical digital ecosystem.

Sources & References

All claims in this guide are backed by credible sources from academic research, government documents, investigative journalism, and privacy experts.

1.
Amazon's Business Model:New York Times. "Amazon's Empire Rests on Its Low-Key Approach to Selling Products - And Data." 2021.
nytimes.com/2021/06/15/technology/amazon-marketplace-business-model.html
2.
Worker Safety Crisis: Reveal News. "How Amazon Hid Its Safety Crisis." 2020.
revealnews.org/article/how-amazon-hid-its-safety-crisis/
3.
Monopolistic Practices: U.S. House Judiciary Committee. "Competition in Digital Markets." 2020.
judiciary.house.gov/sites/imo/media/doc/competition_in_digital_markets.pdf
4.
Environmental Impact: The Guardian. "Amazon's Climate Pledge: A Sign of Progress or Empty Words?" 2019.
theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/19/amazon-climate-pledge-jeff-bezos
5.
Alexa Privacy Concerns: Washington Post. "Alexa Has Been Eavesdropping on You This Whole Time." 2019.
washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/05/06/alexa-has-been-eavesdropping-you-this-whole-time/
6.
Tax Avoidance: Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. "Amazon Has Record-Breaking Profits in 2020, Avoids $2.3 Billion in Taxes." 2021.
itep.org/amazon-has-record-breaking-profits-in-2020-avoids-2-3-billion-in-taxes/
7.
Union Busting: NPR. "Amazon Workers Vote to Join a Union in New York in Historic Move." 2022.
npr.org/2022/04/01/1090076830/amazon-union-vote-staten-island-bessemer
8.
Alexa Recordings: Bloomberg. "Is Anyone Listening to You on Alexa? A Global Team Reviews Audio." 2019.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-10/is-anyone-listening-to-you-on-alexa-a-global-team-reviews-audio
9.
Ring Police Partnerships: Electronic Frontier Foundation. "Amazon Ring Must End Its Dangerous Partnerships With Police." 2020.
eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/amazon-ring-must-end-its-dangerous-partnerships-police
10.
AWS Surveillance: The Guardian. "Amazon Face Recognition Falsely Matched 28 Members of Congress With Mugshots, ACLU Says." 2018.
theguardian.com/technology/2018/jun/22/amazon-rekognition-facial-recognition-police
11.
Third-Party Seller Data: Wall Street Journal. "Amazon Scooped Up Data From Its Own Sellers to Launch Competing Products." 2020.
wsj.com/articles/amazon-scooped-up-data-from-its-own-sellers-to-launch-competing-products-11587650015

Additional Reading

"The choice is not between Amazon and the stone age. The choice is between an extractive, exploitative model and commerce that connects us, sustains communities, respects workers and the environment."

— Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance