this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025
479 points (93.8% liked)

DeGoogle Yourself

11616 readers
10 users here now

A community for those that would like to get away from Google.

Here you may post anything related to DeGoogling, why we should do it or good software alternatives!

Rules

  1. Be respectful even in disagreement

  2. No advertising unless it is very relevent and justified. Do not do this excessively.

  3. No low value posts / memes. We or you need to learn, or discuss something.

Related communities

!privacyguides@lemmy.one !privacy@lemmy.ml !privatelife@lemmy.ml !linuxphones@lemmy.ml !fossdroid@social.fossware.space !fdroid@lemmy.ml

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

A process that started roughly a year ago with just changing browser and search engine, now feeling that I got somewhere. The journey ended up being more than just degoogle, but also demetaing and taking more control over my data and privacy.

Before and after picture with notes:

Chrome -> Zen browser (Firefox on iOS)

Google -> Qwant

Gmail -> Proton Mail

NordVPN -> Proton VPN (I don’t use VPN very often, but have NordVPN through another subscription, now replaced with Proton across my devices)

Google Drive / Photos -> Proton Drive

Google Password Manager -> Proton Pass

Google Authenticator -> Proton Pass / Ente (Ente Auth is only used to store my 2FA keys for the Proton account, other keys are stored in Proton Pass)

Google Translator -> DeepL

YouTube -> FreeTube (Unwatched on iOS)

Google Maps -> Magic Earth (OSM on desktop)

WhatsApp -> Signal

Notion -> Anytype

Keep / Notes -> Notesnook

X -> Mastodon / Bluesky

Reddit -> Lemmy (Voyager on iOS, dreaming of an eventual complete migration)

Instagram -> Pixelfed

Facebook -> stopped using

Windows 11 -> Ubuntu (Only personal laptop, work laptop still windows)

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Petersnowden@lemmy.ml 101 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Don't put all your eggs in one basket (dont use proton for everything)

[–] joelvdc@lemmy.world 21 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I usually tell people the same, this is a decision I will have to live with. I am happy with Proton and also happy to support their growth, hopefully it will go well for a long time.

From the other services I tried, Filen and Ente deserve an honorable mention. I was close to just go Mail Plus + Filen + Ente. But as soon as you do Proton Mail + VPN, you then go with Proton Unlimited and that is what makes the most sense financially.

[–] coldaf@lemmy.world 31 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I recommed Tuta for mails. May be not good as Proton but not American, not from Google and most important, private as Proton.

[–] joelvdc@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I love Tuta as well, they are great. But not being able to use Tuta with thunderbird was a deal breaker for me. Proton is Swiss btw.

[–] coldaf@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah I know Proton isnt American. Just wanted to remind Tuta's situation. Yes, lack of another client is really bad but I enjoy the official app, we may differ at that point.

[–] LWD@lemm.ee 12 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

But as soon as you do Proton Mail + VPN, you then go with Proton Unlimited and that is what makes the most sense financially.

That's how they get you! ;)

Mail and VPN are something I would never want to cross associate, though. After all, any mail provider can see the full contents of any unencrypted email at some point (including Proton), and any VPN provider can see as much as your ISP used to see about your internet activity.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

I don't understand your point, if data will be exposed at some point, why would you want that exposure with 2 separate companies instead of one?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] pewpew@feddit.it 82 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)
[–] admin@sh.itjust.works 45 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)
[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 70 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

an imperfect ally is not an enemy

[–] ohshit604@sh.itjust.works 31 points 2 weeks ago

This right bloody here, you have to make sacrifices for peace-of-mind otherwise you’ll live your life paranoid on the smallest of things.

One persons opinions don’t suddenly make a service unusable or unreliable.

[–] Biskii@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

This is my thing. I've ditched all of proton for the obvious reason, but aside from that, I no longer want everything under one umbrella. Convenience has shown it comes at too great of a cost

[–] admin@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

I was just about to pay for their service, started a new LLC so that was gonna be a good excuse to start supporting them and then his CEO shows his true colors.

I have been happily supporting Tuta instead. Is a bit slow but the aliases and emails work great.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 46 points 2 weeks ago (13 children)

As predicted, here come all the purity tests.

I know there's no way to definitively prove it, but in my mind Apple is the safer alternative vs. anything Google. I know you can do custom roms and all that, but let's face it: It's a huge pain in the ass. I know, I know, "It's not really"... I beg to differ. I went through my purity phase with degoogled roms and all that. Due to driver inconsistencies, updates breaking things (even the phone part), and the inability to use a lot of "normal" apps, I gave up and went with an iPhone. Apple's business model is to sell you the thing at a higher price, thus reducing the incentive to sell your data or enshittify. Yes, that will degrade over time and I'll reach a threshold at which I'll reevaluate my options. Given the two major choices, I choose the less terrible ecosystem of the two.

I refuse to have any Google or Meta products on my iPhone. I know that makes me lame here, but we should also understand that any normie would never go to all the trouble of OS tinkering. The are a lot more people who want to degoogle vs. the people who understand how to do rom flashing. Criticizing a person's degoogle effort as "not good enough" does nothing but drive people directly into the arms of the very evil we wish to diminish. This is a community to banish Google, not everything backed by a for-profit corporation.

[–] Franklin@lemmy.ca 25 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

You know our lawmakers have failed when you have to be this concerned about privacy on your own behalf.

it's really shouldn't be this much effort in order to retain your data and I know the argument can be made that you just use services that respect it but without legislation it's incentivized to monetize data which makes it extremely hard to find alternatives that don't.

[–] baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 13 points 2 weeks ago

Agreed; unfortunately, this will always happen as long as money is allowed in politics.

[–] Chastity2323@midwest.social 13 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Apple is the safer alternative vs. anything Google

Not really. Research has demonstrated that iOS and Android send very similar types of data even when users explicitly request to opt out. Apple was even so arrogant as to not bother responding to the authors of this paper when they reached out for comment (unlike Google which did reply).

https://www.scss.tcd.ie/doug.leith/apple_google.pdf

iOS is also much more hostile towards 3rd party apps than Android, greatly limiting what they can do. This makes moving to FOSS options harder.

Due to driver inconsistencies, updates breaking things (even the phone part), and the inability to use a lot of "normal" apps

Sounds like you haven't tried modern GrapheneOS with sandboxed Google Play Services. Neither of these are issues for me and I've been using it for years after switching from iOS.

The are a lot more people who want to degoogle vs. the people who understand how to do rom flashing

Flashing GrapheneOS takes like 2 seconds and requires nothing but a desktop/laptop and a browser. If you can read, you can install GrapheneOS with minimal effort.

[–] panicnow@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

My personal choices are slightly different than yours, but I appreciate your comment. You’re clearly an ally while not being a clone. I often tire of discussions about security and privacy—mainly because I am very pragmatic.

Unlike OP I don’t use Proton’s suite, but considered it. Most of what I want Apple provides (Advanced Data Protection, Private Relay, etc) in a form that meets my minimum requirements. Other things that I use (Signal especially) are well-supported on iPhone.

I’ll talk down Apple all day long in the correct context, but I still believe it is a good choice today. I may re-evaluate at some point in the future when the landscape or my needs change. For now I am very happy.

load more comments (10 replies)
[–] EuropeanPrimate@lemm.ee 37 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

I want to use Signal but can’t convince everyone to get on it

[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 20 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] EuropeanPrimate@lemm.ee 5 points 2 weeks ago

And they hand out invitations to group chats

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (7 replies)
[–] 3aqn5k6ryk@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Isnt iPhone already degoogled?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] 123213217362131231@lemmy.world 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Consider using libretranslate, imo deepl isn’t privacy friendly

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] coldaf@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Very good. Next step should be the iPhone

[–] joelvdc@lemmy.world 18 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

A linux phone is on my list, Jolla or similar. One battle at a time.

[–] coldaf@lemmy.world 24 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

I recommed Pixel phones with GrapheneOS or any Lineage OS supporting device. Linux phones are good but I dont personally think they are reliable as smartphone.

[–] HotCoffee@lemm.ee 17 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Maybe not, but buying them will improve future Linux phones.

Buying a google phone just feels dirty, all this talk about privacy and foss but then still filling Google's pocket is something we need to move away from as privacy/foss enthusiasts.

[–] coldaf@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Actually, you are right. But IMO, only donating is better for Linux phones. Sailfish OS from Jolla has some problems according to people bought the phone. And other companies are not enough now. Its better not to use smartphone nowadays.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] joelvdc@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, Linux phones might not be ready yet and it will mean compromises and workarounds. Will be following closely the development of not Google not Apple phones, before pulling the trigger.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] yumyumsmuncher@feddit.uk 13 points 2 weeks ago

fuck yeah mate

[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Saving this post. I have been deGoogling as much as I can but havent done the research to find some of these options. Thanks

[–] Arcane2077@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

How you liking Voyager? I’m bouncing between Arctic and Thunder atm, one day I’ll find the perfect lemmy client.

Mlem is competent, but isn’t especially good at anything, and lacks some features the others offer

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] Gexilla@lemm.ee 5 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Is there anything particular about Notesnook that Anytype doesn’t offer?

[–] joelvdc@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Probably not, but I really like Notesnook for its simplicity and just organize notes in folders. Anytype is awesome for more complex stuff, I usually use it for work, kanban boards and such.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] merde@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago
[–] ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Next step is to de-Apple your Iphone.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] ainen@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 weeks ago

Voyager is great but you should give Mlem a shot!

[–] sonalder@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 weeks ago

Try Impressia for PixelFed

[–] mac@lemm.ee 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments