Two Swissinfo journalists tried cutting ties with US tech giants. Here’s what happened.
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I analyse the risks, opportunities and concrete impacts of artificial intelligence on society and everyday life. Since joining SWI swissinfo.ch in 2020, I translate the complexity of science and technology into stories that speak to a global audience.
Born in Milan to an Italian-Egyptian family, I have been passionate about knowledge and writing since childhood. I worked between Milan and Paris as a multilingual editor for technology magazines before transitioning to international journalism with SWI swissinfo.ch.
I cover climate and sustainability topics with a data-driven perspective. Trained as a journalist but working as a data scientist, I combine storytelling with analysis to uncover the facts behind Switzerland’s green transition. At SWI swissinfo.ch, I focus on how climate change affects daily life and what solutions can make a difference.
My work is focused on making videos and podcasts about science and technology topics. I specialize in developing explainatory video formats for mobile viewing, mixing animation and documentary styles.
I studied filmmaking and animation at Zurich University of the Arts and began working as a video journalist at SWI swissinfo.ch in 2004. Since then I have specialised in creating different styles of animation for our visual products.
Most of our digital lives – from photos to passwords and personal documents – are stored somewhere in Big Tech’s cloud infrastructure. Almost every interaction with the outside world, whether private or professional, passes through a handful of US companies.
Two Swissinfo journalists, Kristian Foss Brandt and Sara Ibrahim, decided to cut the cord with Big Tech and embarked on a journey towards digital independence.
They started with the basics: computers, email, phones, cloud services and AI tools. They imagined the process would involve a few simple switches – one service out, another service in.
In reality, it felt more like pulling roots out of dry soil: possible, yes, but slow and messy. They soon found themselves living in a kind of parallel world where mobile payments stopped working, work tools broke down, and they were locked out of services they had used for most of their lives.
The problem, they learnt, is not a single app or platform. It is the ecosystem Big Tech companies have built around our digital lives. Escaping it takes time, money and a lot of patience.
Join Kristian Foss Brandt and Sara Ibrahim in this new series to hear about their experiences distancing themselves from Big Tech.
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Swiss AI
Can Switzerland live without Big Tech? We put it to the test
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Switzerland wants digital sovereignty, but can it really distance itself from Big Tech? Two Swissinfo journalists tried cutting ties with US tech giants. Here’s what happened.
