> There is more to the internet than these 2 companies.

Not as much as most people think.

A huge percentage of the physical world runs through these platforms - and if you add Twitter it gets even worse.

Plenty of groups I follow communicate exclusively through social media channels. If you want to know what events are happening there - in some cases even what hours they're open - it's through Facebook or Instagram.

For things which aren't formal businesses (photo clubs, bar popups, all sorts of things) it's even more prevalent.

Sure, if I want to sit in my house and discuss philosphy on Hacker News or IRC those exist, but it is very difficult to avoid Meta's platforms and have a social life - much less a dating life.