... about trying to avoid Google - and he lasted something like 6 weeks before he accidentally used a Google API. he said it was incredibly difficult
It is almost impossible to avoid Google and Amazon online. Google, currently, has more than 160 service URLs which need to be blocked on firewall level. As soon as you do so, 20-30% of the internet becomes unusable because they rely on Google Cloud or other offerings.
Same with Amazon Web Services (AWS) which powers always more internet functionality due to its relatively cheap cost. Functionality going from storage, via computing units (CPUs), to network balancing and quite some more too.
Millions of sites break as soon as you block those 2 platforms in your firewall. The Internet almost breaks so to say.
Yep - the only way to effectively avoid is to be a non-user of the internet and live in a cave - and never come out to be seen by the satellites.