DeGoogle Yourself

8837 readers

5 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

Be respectful even in disagreement
No advertising unless it is very relevent and justified. Do not do this excessively.
No low value posts / memes. We or you need to learn, or discuss something.

Related communities

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

founded 4 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

I am a victim of the network effect who wishes to degoogle. What do I do? (self.degoogle)

submitted 7 months ago by Vuraniute to c/[email protected]

42 comments fedilink hide all child comments

This post is going to be a bit personal (and maybe a little bit out of context, it's not just Google software I want to remove) but I'm tired of not knowing what to do about it. I want and have wanted to get rid of a bunch of proprietary software in my life, including but not limited to Google's software, for quite a while now, and I even got a Pixel 7A with hopes of installing GrapheneOS. But there are a few problems. First, my parents are understandably concerned and need me to use Google Maps' location sharing whenever I go to school. All my classmates use Instagram and we have that as our only messaging platform. I currently use DFInstagram, but I feel that it is not free from spyware. Finally, I also own a DJI Mini 3 Pro, and the associated DJI Fly app just refuses to work under GrapheneOS (I tested). Is there anything I can do to replace or limit the access of these aforementioned proprietary apps?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

Hmmmm. I actually disagree with this comment.

I think that signal is a useful alternative for people that are privacy oriented or that do not have an existing chat, but to make the transition from Instagram to signal is going to feel like a step back for the vast majority of normal users especially teenagers/preteens.

On a related note, because we do not know the age of the original poster, it is a non-starter to say that his parents should not be tracking his whereabouts until we have more information. For all we know, this could be a 13 year old. I'm more useful alternative would be to suggest privacy-friendly location apps

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I'm relatively young, but my parents weren't always aware of my whereabouts when I was thirteen. Heck as young as 8 years old they let me bike the 5km to school. I think that trust and autonomy was good for me, especially as a preteen/teen.

Contrast with my younger brother, who our father still tracks via Snapchat in his early twenties. I can say the constant feeling of surveillance has definitely had an impact on his mental health.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Parents tracking a 13 year old is still a bit messed up, but yeah, nothing they can do about it.