I use GrapheneOS with multiple profiles. My main profile contains only FOSS apps, along with two proprietary apps that have no network access. One secondary profile is for my personal Google account (just Gmail) for work and bills, while another is for a disposable Google account for apps like Google Maps when I need GPS.
On my PC, I maintain a browser profile for work Gmail, which I almost never check, and I don’t have anything else connected to Google.
I’m not entirely comfortable knowing that I’m not free from Google and still rely on some of their services. However, I feel much better than I did a few years ago, when Google had complete control over my phone and everything I did on it. Now, I feel free most of the time.
What about you? Do you feel free? Or does it ever seem like Google owns a part of your life? Share your thoughts with me
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Some apps replaced with Fossify, some with Proton. I use TomTom for roadtrips and Google maps for looking up opening hours. Futo instead of Gboard for obvious reasons. Google wallet as backup for Curve Pay, because you cannot just get an open source NFC wallet (from my personal research). Still using Google notes
I’m not 100% degoogled, but if Google deactivated my account tomorrow, it wouldn’t be a big deal. I’ve migrated everything important away from Gmail. Gmail is basically just my spam box now.
I also have Chrome installed on my PC for testing purposes. It is my browser of last resort, only used on occasion when I suspect my normal browsers’ ad/tracker blockers are breaking some site.
Google Maps is hard to get away from because nothing else has all its key features, and a lot of alternatives also use Google’s data so they’re not really more private. For example, I don’t know of any good public transit apps that work in my city and are degoogled (though to be fair, it’s been a few years since I reviewed the options).
I sometimes buy used stuff from people and drive to their houses to get the items. I was surprised to find out that while Google maps was very outdated on more recent buildings and neighborhoods, Organic maps and Mapy were all correct. Sometimes a whole street was missing and I struggled to find the way, so I stopped using it.
Transit is tough if you don’t have options though. The official transit app for my city is leagues better than Google so I’ve never had a reason to look elsewhere.
I have an old gmail address that catches things I haven’t migrated away yet. Nothing has chrome installed in my house. The phone still has YouTube but I don’t use it much anymore. There’s more ads than content anymore so there’s no reason to go there. Still on iPhone but willing to switch to a Linux phone when they release something with packet radios and reticulum support. Considered a pixel with graphene last upgrade cycle but Googles actions at the time pointed to the death of third party roms so fuck it.
I think the only things I’m actively using is google calendar(which I would like to replace at some point) and youtube.
I guess my phone is running android, but I’m not much of a phone person so I barely use it.
Still depend somewhat, but aside from Google Meets, which I can use without account if I’m not hosting, I reasonably only need to log into it in devices and VMs that are usually turned off. So the least bad option, I think.
I’m getting there more day by day. I’ve moved over to using my own dns and email service, that was a big one, but kept my gmail for leftover items and now it’s mostly for spam. All of my oauth I’ve rolled off Google, and now use a password manager and separate emails. Phone is still the largest annoyance, but I just ordered a fairphone this week! (After google pushed a huge update which killed my battery, seriously sitting at home my battery died at 7pm last night, after barely using it. That didn’t happen even a month ago). So it’s a process.
For Gmail – I use Thunderbird for both Android and Desktop (linux) to access my Gmail. I’m sure they are still reading my emails on the server side, but at least the phone app isn’t tracking me 🤣
I have two gmail accounts which i need for now but i check them with Thunderbird. I have to have Google play store and services on my phone because my banking app will not work without them, both stripped of permissions and no background data. I use Aurora store and F-Droid for everything else. All search engines at home and work changed to DDG or Ecosia. Organic Maps is ok , i read in this thread Comaps is good so i’m gonna try that. Firefox everywhere with either Brave, Ecosia or Chromium browser as backup.
I forward all gmail’s to my new domain, exported my YouTube subscriptions to newpipe and freetube - the only thing I’m working through is TVs… That is still using my actual YouTube account… Google Photos is, unfortunately a thing still, as-is Google Keep. I like using my S-Pen stylus for random notes.
Not planning to change OSes for banking app compatibility. Although, after thinking about it, I really should consider just using a “clean” browser (librewolf, is what I use on desktop) and “dirty” browser (chromium - very little privacy plugins for temperamental websites) – so I can care less about an app supporting a feature.
I use a Google Pixel 6 Pro with GrapheneOS, Google Voice for probable spam, YouTube, and Google Maps for search. Once the GrapheneOS phone comes out that will probably be my next phone (and fuck Google with their planned obsolescence, makes me not want to buy another Pixel). Google Voice I don’t care but I could switch to another paid JMP.chat number if I need to. YT is difficult to leave (both for content and algorithm) and the Google Maps alternatives suck for searching.
Any reduction in the data going to big tech is a good thing. Don’t worry, You’ll get there.
I have Sandboxed Google Services on my GOS for push notifications for Signal and Protonmail.
I use Freetube to watch Youtube videos.
I update a few apps through Aurora Store.
Otherwise, I’m Google free.
100% finaly No Google account, no Google services
it feels free 🧘♂️
Amazing. I’ll get there hopefully.
Looks like you and I randomly generate usernames :D
Currently backing up my phone to switch to GrapheneOS. That’ll leave my email which I haven’t figured out how I want to replace it yet. Step one should be downloading all saved emails though
Maps + location, calendar, contacts, google docs, google drive, all have been moved to self-hosted and private services I run myself.
All that’s left is email, and that is actually quite difficult to ditch. I have a protonmail account whose philosophy I don’t agree with, and a tuta account, which has nasty delivery problems.
So I actually don’t really know how I’m going to solve this.
