Big tech is a bit like tobacco companies at some point - we’ve convinced people and ourselves that certain things are good, even healthy while they’re actually the opposite.
We, the people who build and maintain these services, are in a position to offer pushback to ensure the humans and their privacy is higher than any other concerns.
Speak for yourself. Most people in tech do not work for Google or Microsoft. Working in tech alone doesn't give you some kind of power to offer pushback in these tech companies, just like being a random worker in the agriculture sector doesn't give you power to offer pushback against the tobacco companies.
“The boss” often doesn’t know or care about the implication of involving data brokers. We’re not just code monkeys.
But how common is that choice?
The choice is something that everyone has, and people (tech and non-tech) exercise that choice every day. Usually, though, it's people refusing to use one Big Tech service in favor of a different one: look how many younger people now don't use Facebook, but instead use TikTok.
unfortunately most engineers I've seen (i come from an engineering background) care mostly about technical stuff and lack the EQ to see the bigger picture.
Most engineers are engineers, not company politicians. That doesn’t mean they don’t see the greater picture, it’s just not worth it dealing with corporate bullshit (or even endangering).
So, a Hollywood-style strike with the aim to do so?