1 yr. ago • 100%

leaving google

By reading about the new inclementations on Google I decided to leave from Google services entirely, already stoping using Windows for 6 month and Chrome, but sttil dont sure about a gmail(Some important things are signed in gmail accont) and some services like Youtube and some android telemetry(already rooted)

71 comments

IMO switch away from services as fast as you're comfortable with - it's not all or nothing. Switch the easy ones now, and build escape plans for the rest. Small steppy is better than no steppy.

47
- Totally agree with this. I started with Gmail and calendar and then gradually continued with Gdrive and Gphotos. My browser has always been Firefox, so no problem there. My next step is owning a Google-free phone (keeping an eye on https://tuxphones.com/). The only thing that I can not get rid of is Google Maps. It works so damn good!
  
  14
  
  I originally had ambitions for a Linux phone but after all my waiting and reasearch it seemed to be too much of a hassle and no gain. After all, you can also have a degooglefied experience with a forked android like LineageOS or GrapheneOS. That's what I went with.
  
  4
  
  replaced it years ago with Organic Maps. The few things googleMaps does better are not worth the huge hole it digs in your privacy
  
  4
  
  What do you use for a GDrive alternative?
  
  And for a better GMaps alternative, try OpenStreetMap
  
  2
  
  I'd agree with Google EARTH being without alternative, but so far I haven't really found any gmaps feature that OrganicMaps/OSM doesn't provide. Maybe I've never gotten full use out of gmaps?
  
  1
  
  Hadn't heard of Tux Phones before. Any other resources like that?
  
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- This 100%. It's also worth looking at https://www.privacyguides.org/en/basics/common-misconceptions/#complicated-is-better
  
  Don't be obsessive about "degoogling" to the point where you pick worser alternatives that don't have the features you require. Always test something out before doing a mass migration of "all your email" for example.
  
  2
For email, I recommend purchasing your own domain name and finding a provider that allows the use own your own domain (like Proton or Tutanota). A catch-all function is also good for making unique addresses per service, so you're mostly protected from data leaks and spam. Like lemmy@yourdomain.tld or clothingstore1@yourdomain.tld

Will make switching email providers much easier when you don't have to update your address to tens or hundreds of services you've registered on.

22
- Solid advice! And I’d also like to throw Fastmail as an email provider into the mix! I’m very happy with it and many other peeps I’ve heard from are happy as well. (I use it for mail, calendar and contacts.)
  
  3
- Good advice! I would argue the only downside is having to maintain your own email server. But that comes with the territory I guess. Any low-cost server hosting to consider?
  
  2
  
  You would not have to do that if you just use an email provider that allows custom domains. Probably will have to pay up though.
  
  I've heard that self-hosting your own email server is almost always a bad idea as it can/will get blacklisted by sites.
  
  5
  
  I don't think it gets any cheaper than aws ec2 instances, but I use lightsail because it's super easy to set up and you get the first three months free. EC2 has a free tier also.
  
  1
  
  You'll still need email hosted by someone else, even if you are self hosting, in order to sign up to domain registrar etc.
  
  It's very poor idea to use the same domain for contact from a registrar.
  
  1
Proton mail is free, encrypted, and their tools make the transition super easy.

17
- I'm already paying for the full package, it's great.
  
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I highly recommend Proton Mail. Their email phone app and webapp are very good and they seem to be branching out into other services like calender integration and VPN. I've been working on reducing my reliance on Google services for awhile, but it has been very slow with how many accounts I've registered using my Gmail over the years.

The only problem I've had with Proton Mail is that the free tier on the phone doesn't let you have two emails logged in at once. Normally I would want my real identity email and my internet identity email to be logged in at the same time. Which is doable in the webapp at least. I may end up paying the $3 a month not just to unlock this feature, but to support a non-Google service in general.

12
- The only problem I've had with Proton Mail is that the free tier on the phone doesn't let you have two emails logged in at once.
  
  If you're on Android, you can download Shelter from F Droid. This creates a work profile on your device, then you can clone any app to get a second login. I have several apps that I have separate simultaneous logins.
  
  4
  
  I like this idea. I'll give it a try. Thanks.
  
  2
- I love Proton Mail, been using it for over a year now and it's been great. Phone app and web app work great, has all the features I need.
  
  Their proton VPN has been really good too. A lot of people complain about it on Linux and Android, but I personally haven't had any issues at all on either platform.
  
  4
Here is how I done it:

Email, drive - Proton (+vpn)

Youtube: (NewPipe/Libretube)

Phone OS: CalyxOS/GraphineOS

Maps:Organic Maps (powered by OSM).

All of these are open source.

7
- I'd add to this "GMaps WV" (Google maps web view wrapper). It's available on FDroid and wraps the web version of google maps. I use it to find locations and GPS coordinates and then navigate to them in OSM bc OSM based applications are poor and doing so.
  
  2
You might be interested in the /c/degoogle@lemmy.ml community! https://lemmy.ml/c/degoogle@lemmy.ml

6
- !degoogle@lemmy.ml
  
  2
I recommend you using a VPS. You will be able to make your own email server, xmpp server, nextcloud (whic is better than google drive), and a lot of apps would make your data more secure(such as searx, libreddit). and you can host these under 10 minutes using yunohost.

2
- Yunohost is awesome
  
  1
What are you not sure about the Android telemetry? Or what problems in this field do you expect without a Google account?

And also courious, what type of signing does Gmail provide that others don't? You mean PGP or S/MIME?

1
- I dont know what I can do about android without break and about gmail its signed in everywhere that I used like steam, and every other important app that you can think, and tutanota is good but mostly paid(I think so)
  
  2
  
  Skiff is another option to replace Gmail, it has 10 Gb free storage.
  
  For Android check out this website: https://www.privacyguides.org/en/android/#operating-systems
  
  3
  
  I dont know what I can do about android without break
  
  GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, /e/OS, etc
  
  about gmail its signed in everywhere that I used like steam, and every other important app that you can think
  
  This is a very effective way to ensure your activity is tracked by Google across the web.
  
  Delete your accounts. Get a relay service (Firefox Relay, SimpleLogin, AnonAddy, etc.). Create new accounts with alias emails.
  
  Get a password manager (1Password, BitWarden, Proton Pass). Save your alias, username and unique password in the manager.
  
  That should be a good start.
  
  3
  
  phase out Google account sign-in slowly by signing in to those accounts with an email address instead. It takes weeks maybe, but then you're free. A password manager like keepass helps
  
  1
  
  I'm still on gmail. It's one of the few services I genuinely think google is still doing correctly.
  
  But, a good way to switch, would be to get another email address, then link it to gmail, or gmail to it (via smpt and pop3/imap) and slowly start swithing all your stuff over while using both for while. The link will bring everything into one single inbox for you.
  
  I still have two pre-gmail inboxes routes ilto my gmail this way, they never get mail anymore, but you don't need to entirely cut those inboxes off.
  
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