How do you get non-tech people to care? That's not "cynicism," it's just the reality. I stopped trying to get non-tech people to try Linux back before 2010. If people want it, they'll demand it.

I run my own e-mail, my own Matrix/XMPP servers, my own CardDav/CalDav (radicale), my own website and this instance. I have zero Google/Apple services on my phone (Lineage + FDroid/Auora). But the 90% is not you or me. Some people are upset about the way things are, but none of them know what to do about it, and even fewer feel they have the time to learn how to break away from what the megacorps offer for cheap.

I write tutorials whenever I can, but it's not like blogs show up on Google anymore. Hell, my website is shadow banned from Hackernews and most of Reddit, and explicitly banned from Ello, Lobsters and phuks.co.

The goal of all media is to limit the reach of the individual. This video is from over a decade ago about network neutrality. What they say about newspapers/radio is true, but I do think they miss the bigger picture of what has happened:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66PbSzwnLes

I did get a bunch of friends to sign up for my old Mastodon instance back in 2018. A small amount of them even used it for a few years. But I doubt any of them do now.

It's up do individuals to make a difference in their own life. I'm not wasting my time advertising, or being anyone's tech support.

Do what you can. But don't overly concern yourself with it. None of this matters. What you do in real life on the weekends with your friends: going to plays, seeing local bands, hanging out with your friends, having BBQs, making time for your family, working in your garden .. all those things matter than any of this shit.