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)

    • airikr@lemmy.ml
      0·
      2 months ago

      Yes, but iOS is even more closed than Android which makes all iPhones a small prison for open-minded and privacy oriented people.

      Google is Big Tech, logs everything. Apple is Big Tech too, but only logs tiny less than Google. All Big Tech is a big no-no if you’re privacy oriented. This applies to all services that uses Big Tech, too.

  • FreakinSteve@lemmy.world
    0·
    2 months 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

  • pyre@lemmy.world
    0·
    2 months ago

    Hmm people keep talking about qwant I wonder what it’s like…

    Thanks for your visit

    Unfortunately we are not yet available in your country.

    lol wtf

    • joelvdc@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      As I mentioned in other comments, I didn’t buy a new phone to degoogle. I’m sure there are more people on the same boat. And this is a degoogle group.

      • Lord Wiggle@lemmy.world
        0·
        2 months ago

        After experiencing the iPhone 3 and MacBook pro 2009 I knew I’d never want to give Apple my money anymore. Boy did they try to scam me. “Broken hard drive? (500gb non-SSD) Sure, well fix it! 600 euros!” I’ll never sell my soul to Apple anymore.

  • AusatKeyboardPremi@lemmy.world
    0·
    2 months ago

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

    I too long for when communities (Indian and some niche ones) have more activity on Lemmy. They exist here, but have no activity after their creation. Until things pick up, I continue to access Reddit on iOS using SinkIt.

    YouTube -> FreeTube (Unwatched on iOS)

    Thank you for sharing about Unwatched. It fills the void in iOS that Tubular fills perfectly in Android.

    P.S.

    I am not entirely sure why, but I remember seeing Unwatched’s creator @[email protected]/@[email protected] quite often back when Lemmy iOS apps were starting off (Mlem, Memmy, WefWef, etc.) in the fall of 2023, perhaps he was a major contributor or creator of such apps.

    • joelvdc@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      I didn’t know about sink it, will have a look! I currently use hydra to access Reddit on iOS.

  • pineapple@lemmy.mlEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    I feel like my story is a lot similar to yours almost a year ago now I saw a YouTube video about degoogling. It caused me to switch to Firefox with betterfox on the betterfox github pages there was a new oil link which I read and followed ultimately leading me to all of this and so much more.

    • joelvdc@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      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.

      • LWD@lemm.ee
        0·
        2 months ago

        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
          0·
          2 months 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?

      • SHEN SHAK RAK@lemmy.world
        0·
        2 months ago

        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.worldOPEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          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.

          • SHEN SHAK RAK@lemmy.world
            0·
            2 months 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.

    • joelvdc@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      I mean, it the end it’s all up to personal preferences. I’m strongly considering to delete Bluesky due to the latest controversy. But would you care to elaborate?

      • /home/pineapplelover@lemm.ee
        0·
        2 months ago

        Not many people have resources to set up a mastadon instance and I don’t think bluesky can be connected using activitypub but I’m not sure about that.

        Proton’s ceo has recently made some Trump sympathizer statements but honestly, I’ll still keep my subscription because of how cheap they are for me.

        • joelvdc@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          I didn’t like the statements regarding Trump either, but he deleted it and made some comment/post on reddit distancing himself from Trump and right wing politics. So I made peace with that, but yeah, people won’t forget.

          • dogs0n@sh.itjust.works
            0·
            2 months ago

            Not sure why people care so much, the individual can think whatever he wants, it hasn’t stopped proton from continuing on its good path (even though I don’t use them much nowadays, they are a great service with a respectable free tier).

              • dogs0n@sh.itjust.works
                0·
                2 months ago

                That article is stupid. Any company that receives a “legally binding order” has to comply with it… what would you expect?

                Most companies aren’t going to commit a crime to protect a user (like that one dude who ran an email service and destroyed it when he was required to hand over data, forgot his name!!!). If they did, they’d be out of business…

                (The article isn’t exactly dumb, but it doesn’t address this properly in my opinion. The outrage over it seems dumb to me. The government will force companies to do whatever it wants, be mad at the gov not the corpo in this case when its to apprehend a journalist or whatever… i understand if its a terrorist or similar, but this specific case may be more poopy om the gov behalf)