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Archive:How to stay away from Google and other evil tech giants: Difference between revisions
Archive:How to stay away from Google and other evil tech giants (view source)
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** '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/org.gnu.icecat/ GNU IceCat]''' ('''Freedom Tip''') is the FSF’s version built on Firefox <abbr title="Extended Support Release">ESR</abbr>, which means it doesn't have the latest fancy Firefox features. Instead it is stripped from most proprietary stuff, comes with FSF endorsed addons preinstalled (and doesn't promote other addons). | ** '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/org.gnu.icecat/ GNU IceCat]''' ('''Freedom Tip''') is the FSF’s version built on Firefox <abbr title="Extended Support Release">ESR</abbr>, which means it doesn't have the latest fancy Firefox features. Instead it is stripped from most proprietary stuff, comes with FSF endorsed addons preinstalled (and doesn't promote other addons). | ||
** Notable mention: '''LibreWolf'''. | ** Notable mention: '''LibreWolf'''. | ||
* '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/acr.browser.lightning/ Lightning]''' is a nice browser I used for a while. On many mobile devices it will be one of the fastest browsers and with it you are even able to browse via [ | * '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/acr.browser.lightning/ Lightning]''' is a nice browser I used for a while. On many mobile devices it will be one of the fastest browsers and with it you are even able to browse via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(anonymity_network) Tor] quite fast. ❗️This browser comes with Google as the standard search engine. | ||
===Browser Addons=== | ===Browser Addons=== | ||
* '''[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/ uBlock Origin]''' is the only ad blocker you need, but it's more than that. You can block all kinds of stuff. E.g. you can get blocklists from [ | * '''[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/ uBlock Origin]''' is the only ad blocker you need, but it's more than that. You can block all kinds of stuff. E.g. you can get blocklists from [https://github.com/StevenBlack/hosts/ Stephen Black] to block fake news, porn, social media or gambling sites. You can also block individual elements that you don't like on sites to give them a more clear appearance. | ||
* '''[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cloud-firewall/ Cloud Firewall]''' is an awesome addon that can completely block connections to Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple and Cloudflare including sites or elements hosted on their clouds. | * '''[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cloud-firewall/ Cloud Firewall]''' is an awesome addon that can completely block connections to Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple and Cloudflare including sites or elements hosted on their clouds. | ||
* '''[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/https-everywhere/ https Everywhere]''' Is another must-have that lets you browse the web via secure https if possible and block sites that don't have https set up or at least warn before you access them. | * '''[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/https-everywhere/ https Everywhere]''' Is another must-have that lets you browse the web via secure https if possible and block sites that don't have https set up or at least warn before you access them. | ||
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===Instant Messaging=== | ===Instant Messaging=== | ||
[[File:Messenger Matrix.png|thumb|The Kuketz [https://www.messenger-matrix.de/messenger-matrix.html Messenger Matrix].]] | |||
Instant Messaging is a very difficult topic. There is not a single messenger that can be recommended by all privacy advocates. Whenever someone tells me I should switch to messenger XY someone else shows me a list of privacy flaws of messenger XY. See [https://www.messenger-matrix.de/messenger-matrix.html this image] to see how complicated this topic is. | Instant Messaging is a very difficult topic. There is not a single messenger that can be recommended by all privacy advocates. Whenever someone tells me I should switch to messenger XY someone else shows me a list of privacy flaws of messenger XY. See [https://www.messenger-matrix.de/messenger-matrix.html this image] to see how complicated this topic is. | ||
* '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/ Silence]''' ('''Overall Tip''') is a mobile app for SMS/MMS texting. In their own words - which I wholeheartedly agree with - it is easy, reliable, private, safe and <abbr title="essentially the same as free libre software, but developers who call their software open and not free usually care more about the practicality than the ethics of freedom">open source</abbr>. From silence to silence encryption works flawlessly - which is why I think everyone should use it. Otherwise at least the local storage of received and sent messages is encrypted. | * '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/ Silence]''' ('''Overall Tip''') is a mobile app for SMS/MMS texting. In their own words - which I wholeheartedly agree with - it is easy, reliable, private, safe and <abbr title="essentially the same as free libre software, but developers who call their software open and not free usually care more about the practicality than the ethics of freedom">open source</abbr>. From silence to silence encryption works flawlessly - which is why I think everyone should use it. Otherwise at least the local storage of received and sent messages is encrypted. | ||
* '''[https://www.signal.org/ Signal]''' is the perfect chat app to move to from Whatsapp. It works very similarly and is secure and private by default. I recommend downloading it from their site, not from Google Play, even though they recommend the opposite. ❗️ Signal is great, but like I said there is no perfect messenger app and Signal has downsides too. Messages are end-to-end encrypted, but the server is closed source and hosted on evil clouds. So the metadata (phone number, who writes to whom and when) is openly accessible by Amazon, Google, Microsoft & Cloudflare. | * '''[https://www.signal.org/ Signal]''' is the perfect chat app to move to from Whatsapp. It works very similarly and is secure and private by default. I recommend downloading it from their site, not from Google Play, even though they recommend the opposite. ❗️ Signal is great, but like I said there is no perfect messenger app and Signal has downsides too. Messages are end-to-end encrypted, but the server is closed source and hosted on evil clouds. So the metadata (phone number, who writes to whom and when) is openly accessible by Amazon, Google, Microsoft & Cloudflare. Read an extensive list of everything that might be wrong with Signal [https://github.com/privacytools/privacytools.io/issues/779 here]. | ||
* Not a messenger, but a protocol messengers can converse with is '''Matrix'''. It's federated, so like the [[Fediverse]], and fully free software. You can choose a very privacy friendly server to create your account on and then download a messenger like '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/im.vector.app/ Element]''' and start messaging. | * Not a messenger, but a protocol messengers can converse with is '''Matrix'''. It's federated, so like the [[Fediverse]], and fully free software. You can choose a very privacy friendly server to create your account on and then download a messenger like '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/im.vector.app/ Element]''' and start messaging. | ||
* Another federated and free software protocol is XMPP. There are very many XMPP clients. | * Another federated and free software protocol is XMPP. There are very many XMPP clients, e.g. '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.snikket.android Snikket]''' and '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/eu.siacs.conversations/ Conversations]'''. | ||
* Notable mentions: '''[https://f-droid.org/packages/org.kontalk Kontalk]''', '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.briarproject.briar.android Briar]''', '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/network.loki.messenger.fdroid/ Session]'''. | |||
===Video Conference=== | |||
* | * '''[https://bigbluebutton.org/ Big Blue Button]''' is a great video conference tool that is completely free of trackers. I like to use the German instance [https://www.senfcall.de/ Senfcall]. | ||
* '''[https://meet.jit.si Jitsi Meet]''' is another option but ❗️ currently it's in the Cloudflare cloud! Better use '''[https://framatalk.org/ FramaTalk]''' instead. | |||
===Social Media=== | ===Social Media=== | ||
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===Video Players=== | ===Video Players=== | ||
* '''[https://kodi.tv/ Kodi]''' is a great universal media player for desktop and [https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.xbmc.kodi/ mobile]. Play music, movies, TV shows, podcasts etc from your own Kodi database or stream them. ❗️ But beware of proprietary addons | * '''[https://kodi.tv/ Kodi]''' is a great universal media player for desktop and [https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.xbmc.kodi/ mobile]. Play music, movies, TV shows, podcasts etc from your own Kodi database or stream them. ❗️ But beware of proprietary addons. Unfortunately Kodi doesn't display licenses of addons. Also note that the website is in Cloudflare’s walled garden | ||
* '''[https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ VLC]''' is another great universal media player for desktop and [https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.videolan.vlc/ mobile], only not with such a fancy design. | * '''[https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ VLC]''' is another great universal media player for desktop and [https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.videolan.vlc/ mobile], only not with such a fancy design. | ||
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* '''[[PeerTube]]''' is a video streaming service that is part of the [[Fediverse]]. | * '''[[PeerTube]]''' is a video streaming service that is part of the [[Fediverse]]. | ||
* '''Invidious''' is a great service for streaming videos from Youtube while keeping Google tracking to a minimum - with the proxy feature (find the tiny ⚙️ Preferences button in the top right corner and don't forget to save) you can watch videos without any connection to Google at all. | * '''Invidious''' is a great service for streaming videos from Youtube while keeping Google tracking to a minimum - with the proxy feature (find the tiny ⚙️ Preferences button in the top right corner and don't forget to save) you can watch videos without any connection to Google at all. | ||
* ''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/ Newpipe]'' is one of many mobile apps that also lets you watch Youtube videos without sending too much data to Google. | * '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/ Newpipe]''' is one of many mobile apps that also lets you watch Youtube videos without sending too much data to Google. | ||
===Movie/TV Streaming=== | ===Movie/TV Streaming=== | ||
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* '''[https://nextcloud.com/ Nextcloud]''' is what you use if you need a cloud. | * '''[https://nextcloud.com/ Nextcloud]''' is what you use if you need a cloud. | ||
** '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/at.bitfire.davdroid/ DAVx⁵]''' is a mobile app that let's you sync your contacts & calendar to your Nextcloud. | ** '''[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/at.bitfire.davdroid/ DAVx⁵]''' is a mobile app that let's you sync your contacts & calendar to your Nextcloud. | ||
* '''[https://e.foundation/ /e/ cloud''' is the cloud that comes with the /e/ mobile operating system. You can use it to automatically sync all your important data. | * '''[https://e.foundation/ /e/ cloud]''' is the cloud that comes with the /e/ mobile operating system. You can use it to automatically sync all your important data. | ||
===Office=== | ===Office=== | ||
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===Online Stores=== | ===Online Stores=== | ||
* '''[https://www.avocadostore.de/ Avocado Store]''' ('''Environmental Tip''') is once again an ethical choice I'm throwing in here. It is a shop for eco-fashion and home supplies where each product must fulfill at least one principle (like bio, long-lasting, recycled & recycleable, vegan,...) . ❗️Unfortunately the site is hosted on the Google cloud and contains Google tracking and all pictures are stored on the Amazon cloud. | * '''[https://www.avocadostore.de/ Avocado Store]''' ('''Environmental Tip''') is once again an ethical choice I'm throwing in here. It is a shop for eco-fashion and home supplies where each product must fulfill at least one principle (like bio, long-lasting, recycled & recycleable, vegan,...) . ❗️Unfortunately the site is hosted on the Google cloud and contains Google tracking and all pictures are stored on the Amazon cloud. | ||
* '''[https://www.willhaben.at/ Willhaben]''' ('''Austria Tip''') is an online trading and reselling marketplace that is great to get your hand on anything second hand and commission-free. It's only for Austria though. | * '''[https://www.willhaben.at/ Willhaben]''' ('''Austria Tip''') is an online trading and reselling marketplace that is great to get your hand on anything second hand and commission-free. It's only for Austria though. | ||
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Generally: You'll want to go with hardware that runs the software we discussed before. | Generally: You'll want to go with hardware that runs the software we discussed before. | ||
If you already have a device where you can flash one of the privacy friendly [ | If you already have a device where you can flash one of the privacy friendly [[#Operating Systems]] I'd recommend you do that instead of buying a new device: Consider e-waste and resources! Also consider buying a used device and/or resell your old device. | ||
===Smartphones=== | ===Smartphones=== | ||
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** [https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2015/fall/privacy-who-needs-it Privacy: Who needs it?] by Zak Rogoff, Free Software Foundation | ** [https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2015/fall/privacy-who-needs-it Privacy: Who needs it?] by Zak Rogoff, Free Software Foundation | ||
* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software Free Software]''' vs '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software Open Source]''' | * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software Free Software]''' vs '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software Open Source]''' | ||
** [ | ** [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.en.html Open Source Misses the Point] by Richard Stallman, Free Software Foundation | ||
** [What is Free Software and is it the same as Open Source?] | ** [https://opensource.org/faq#free-software What is Free Software and is it the same as Open Source?] by the Open Source Initiative | ||
** <abbr title="too long, didn't read / here is the gist">TL;DR:</abbr> Use "Free Software" if you care about the ethics of software freedom and not just the practicality. If you are neutral use <abbr title="free libre open source software">FLOSS</abbr> not <abbr title="free open source software">FOSS</abbr> as the latter could be misunderstood as open source software that is free as in free beer. | ** <abbr title="too long, didn't read / here is the gist">TL;DR:</abbr> Use "Free Software" if you care about the ethics of software freedom and not just the practicality. If you are neutral use <abbr title="free libre open source software">FLOSS</abbr> not <abbr title="free open source software">FOSS</abbr> as the latter could be misunderstood as open source software that is free as in free beer. | ||
* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password Passwords], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_manager Password Managers] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-factor_authentication Two/Multi Factor Authorization]''' | * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password Passwords], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_manager Password Managers] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-factor_authentication Two/Multi Factor Authorization]''' | ||
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* 2022-06-09: Started move to JoinFediverseWiki. | * 2022-06-09: Started move to JoinFediverseWiki. | ||
* 2022-06-21: Finished move to JoinFediverseWiki. | * 2022-06-21: Finished move to JoinFediverseWiki. | ||
* 2022-09-10: Finally added video conference section. | |||
{{Category |category=Unrelated stuff}} | |||