Is It Even Possible For Consumers To Boycott Google Over Tax Avoidance?

Boycotting Google Is Easy, Right?
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Calls for a Google boycott in the wake of the latest tax avoidance revelations are gathering pace.

But how easy would it be to ditch the technology giant?

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander and Labour MP, Margaret Hodge, recently told the Today programme of their successful efforts to boycott Starbucks and Amazon but admitted they found Google "more difficult".

Google is a tricky beast to give the slip. Is it even possible? Let's start with the basics.

1. Stop using Google search

Unfortunately you have no option but to take a step down as Google is the daddy of the search engines.

Alternatives include Bing (the one with the horrible "dubstep" soundtrack) and the annoying, but impeccably dressed, Ask Jeeves.

2. Stop using Google Maps

Get into the "vintage" look and carry a map.

Or you could use Apple maps. I hear that driving into rivers and finding yourself stranded in the Australian outback is all the rage for Mac users these days.

3. Stop using Gmail

There are loads of other free email providers out there. Hotmail (remember that?), Hushmail, Mail.com and of course Y***o.

Or write a letter, You can still write, can't you?

4. Google+

Let's face it, you don't even know what a "circle" is.

5. Stop using YouTube

You only watch Gangnam parodies anyway.

6. Stop using Google Docs

This really isn't that hard. All Google docs means is that you are pretty much at work 24 hours a day.

Give yourself a break, you deserve it.

7. Stop using Google shopping

Finding out that something you've already bought is cheaper elsewhere is just really infuriating anyway.

8. Stop using Android

Dropping Android for iPhones is easy but then you're in a tax-induced moral quandary having replaced Google with Apple.

So you have to use one of these.

Open Image Modal

A brick

9. Stop using Google Chrome

Google Chrome is integrated into your maps, Google+and all the other things we've just talked about so you can only give this up when you've managed to drop ALL OF THOSE!!!

So, there you go, giving up Google is easy.

Just as long as you're prepared to not find what you're looking for, learn to use a compass, become literate once more, become technologically isolated, give up Gangnam, stop working, spend more money than you need and use a phone from the 1980s.

(points 8 and 9 were added as a result of a suggestion from a reader)