DeGoogle Yourself

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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!

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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]

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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?

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[+] [email protected] -13 points 7 months ago (13 children)

This is gonna sound stupid but hear me out:

Switch to ios.

You can’t degoogle. Your post says as much. But you want to not be negatively impacted by googles software. The best option in this case is to get on a platform that allows you to limit that negative impact.

[–] Vuraniute 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

iOS is worse than Android in terms of privacy in most ways. Android is open-source, which means we know there is no tracking, at least in custom ROMs like LineageOS. However, iOS is closed-source so there is no possible way of knowing what Apple tracks, because it is fully possible that their marketing material ("whatever happens on iPhone stays on iPhone") is disinformation. Closed-source software cannot be trusted for privacy, see the Anom Phone, this "closed source can not be trusted to be private" statement is also 99% of the reason deGoogling is a thing. GApps themselves are proprietary and are given near-root access to the system.

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

Ah, I didn’t see that you were looking for open source!

As a longtime Linux and open source software user, don’t rely on its open nature to belie privacy or security.

Good luck!

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