I used Gemini every now and then as my only Google app installed, but then a message appeared saying some chats might be checked by Google developers for “quality checking”. So… now my phone is finally Google free!

Hi, this is my first step towards degoogle.I still use Google products, but I don't have to change everything from one moment to the next. Even small steps are a success. 😀

Many people in the DeGoogling process still have a Google Account due to multiple reasons, and start with smaller steps, like switching the search engine and browser.

One warning I give is to check the Web & App Activity section inside the privacy settings of your account. People with an Android phone may not know this, but every time you open something on your phone, it tells the mothership.

PAST & CURRENT SETUP:

Browser: Firefox >> Brave (Been a Firefox user since 2017)

Search Engine: Google >> Startpage/DDG >> Brave.

Mail:

• Moved all unofficial and Misc services (Social media, etc.,) to proton mail and that to with a ddg alias.
• Only for college purposes i have kept a single gmail id, which is linked to almost all college related and co curricular activities (Coding platforms, github, matlab etc.). I haven't decided what to do with that as of now.
• Deleted all but one gmail account, after backing up all photos and important stuffs (Contacts, Mails, Yt Subscriptions). I created these gmail IDs cz my storage was becoming full so I enabled sharing across these accounts.
• Unlinked almost most of Accounts I logged in with Google Account and replaced them with Proton mail with DDG alias and randomized information I gave to them.

Password Manager: None >> Bitwarden

2 step verification: Google Acc >> Ente Auth

Private DNS: ISP's >> Next DNS (for both phone and pc)

Calender: Google Calender >> Proton Calender

VPN: Turbo,Pawxy >> Proton VPN (For now I am using its free tier alone, in future I am thinking of IVPN / Mullvad)

Music: Spotify >> Tubular (Background play); I am also currently trying Auxio app to play music locally from folders.

Youtube >> Tubular (Android). Haven't tried any desktop options yet. Currently using Youtube with Brave on desktop.

Play Store: (Haven't started using Aurora yet, will try in the future). Droidify for FOSS Apps

GBoard: FUTO Keyboard

Google Pay (UPI): PhonePe UPI (India)

Social Media:

• Whatsapp >> Dont have much option with this, all official stuffs + relatives are on whatsapp.
• But a personal win is I have managed to make my sister and 2 close friends switch to Signal for conversations, and I am planning to make my parents switch soon too.
• Instagram,Twitter >> Deleted
• Linkedin, Reddit >> Only use via browser and configured settings for maximum privacy.

Replaced the following Samsung apps with FOSSIFY ones: Calculator, Contacts, Messages, Dialler. Uninstalled all possible apps that dont cause issue with Canta.

The apps I can't delete are: Camera, Clock, Galaxy store, Gallery, My files, Settings.

As of now I am using a 5 year old Samsung Galaxy A71 5g which doesnt have a degoogled ROM, so I am plannning to buy a Google Pixel 9a phone when the prcies are low.

Office Apps and G Suite Apps:

• Android: OnlyOffice (xlx, ppt files) + Librera Reader (pdf). Onlyoffice is buggy for certain pdf files.
• PC: Libre Office

On that note...

Desktop OS: Dual Boot (Windows 11 (Just for emergency purposes) + Kubuntu (Ubuntu + KDE Plasma))

Bought a Privacy screen protector for my phone, I mostly use wired earphones only. (I recommend watching Techlore Youtube Channel's Go Incognito Course)

FUTURE PLANS:

• Google Drive, Google Files >> Self Hosted Next Cloud + Ente Photos
• As already said, Google Pixel phone for Graphene OS.
• AI: Replace ChatGPT with local hosted LLM.
• Be midful of what infos i give online, and remove as much as possible.

Google / Big Tech Apps I don't think I'll ever replace:

• Gmaps: In India, even places locals don’t know are on Maps. The accuracy, real-time traffic, and navigation are unparalleled. Alternatives like Organic Maps are good for offline use, but for daily commuting or exploring new areas, nothing comes close.
• Gmail: Official purposes - many institutions, companies, and government services rely on Gmail. Replacing it would mean constant compatibility headaches.
• Gmeet: Official purposes - Most corporate and educational setups use Google Meet. I can’t dictate what they use.
• Google Lens: Still unmatched for OCR (text extraction) and quick translations. Super useful for copying text from books or screens, especially when ChatGPT free limits kick in.
• Play Store: To some extent atleast - for banking or government apps
• Git / GitHub & Visual Studio Code: Industry standards.

Maybe using these google apps on a Pixel device with Graphene OS's sandboxed services may help with privacy but that I'll leave it for future me.

If you read till here... Thank you very much!!! Any suggestions / advice is much welcome.

I didn’t realize how much stress came from giving out my real email until I stopped doing it. I used to sign up for stuff, forget about it, and then months later I’d be buried in spam I couldn’t trace back. Now using Cloaked, every time I need to sign up for something, I just generate a new email. If the account gets spammed, I delete it and move on, same thing goes for phone numbers.

It sounds small, but it’s changed how I browse. I don’t hesitate to try new services anymore, and I don’t get that sinking feeling that my inbox is about to be ruined forever. Anyone else here doing this? Do you go as far as using burner numbers too?

I know they can know what websites you are on. But can they know which posts or videos are you watching in reddit. People who have experience in this please share your opinion. This only for education purposes 🙂

I’ve been wanting a NAS for ages but always held back cause they’re so pricey. Then I came across this DH4300Plus, way cheaper than most others especially after the backtoschool deal. Just pulled the trigger on it and honestly can’t wait to set it up!

I turned on settings to block app tracking on DuckDuck Go and i saw that google tried to track my data from Bitwarden and Startpage and i started to question the privacy of those two apps.

This firefox plugin has been a great help after 20 years of autotyping google into the search bar

hello everyone. I am trying to degoogle my services. And i just wanna see what everyones opinion of the vivaldi browser is? it seems like a good privacy oriented browser and its made in norway. i found it while switching to EU made services from this site: https://european-alternatives.eu/categories

Hello everyone!

My privacy journey started on the beggining of the year. Although I must use a full Google Workspace for work reasons, I've come to a satisfactory set of apps on my personal life, but I believe some diversification must happen, once there is little a concentration on the Proton Suite.

Right now I'm using:

1. Proton Mail + Pass + Simple Login + Drive + VPN
2. Obsidian (Notesnook is amazing, but underfeatured)
3. Brave Browser
4. Ente Photos + Auth

Having considered Bitwarden, the combo Mail + Pass + Simple Login is just really powerful, so I was thinking of changing only Drive for now.

Have you any suggestions on this topic? Or had you any trouble with concentrated use of Proton apps?

Hello,

I am looking to replace as much as possible Google and similar US products, but also looking for a bit of comfort if possible. I am looking for Proton services as they have quite good opinions and wide variety of products, but they premium costs 9,99CHF/month and it would be useful. Do you think it is worth it for a sake of comfort or I should rather split my services to many providers and probably free?

1. Password Manager -> started testing Proton Pass
2. Mail -> started testing Proton mail
3. Browser -> Vivaldi (Is this or Mullvad better?)
4. Search Engine -> Startpage (Considering QWANT and Swisscows)
5. Drive -> Proton drive
6. VPN -> currently Express VPN, but sometimes slow (considering switch to Proton Pass)
7. AI -> Le Chat (to be tested)
8. Navigation app -> not yet chosen, any recommendations?
9. Translator -> DeepL (I see no competition)
10. Operating System -> Ubuntu
11. ...... Maybe I forgot something important?

In bold I wrote the services, I am quite confident to use as I see no alternative. For others I am still considering if it is good to spend money of Proton services or should I go other way and if there are better alternatives i.e. for browser or AI. I heard that sometimes Proton apps implement changes very slowly if something does not work, but maybe I am wrong.

Any good website that can remove my personal information thank you

I vivdly remember turning off this gemini app activity when it was started/going round on the internet. And now while checking gmail ones in a while discovered it was reactivated or enabled again

Lol, why give an option if you gonna re-enable on your own google

FAQ; Why havent i removed my google account in the first place - Because of maps and mail, its needed rarely but still needed.

Those who have turned their Gemini App Activity off (for those who havent deleted their account ofcourse) kindly check again if they have sneakly turned on for you too..

Since the last Google announcement do you think that a new mobile OS will be born? Maybe Linux mobile will grow and became more stable and supported? Or we will just lose our freedom?

Yeah, basically that. But I want to transfer my steam and bank account to another mail service, could Proton or Tuta work for what I'm looking for?