this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025

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DeGoogle Yourself

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Another deGoogled iPhone (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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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)

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

I want to use Signal but can’t convince everyone to get on it

[–] [email protected] 15 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

The US DoD uses it

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 hours ago

Is that a good or bad? Could go both ways 🤭

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 hours ago

And they hand out invitations to group chats

[+] [email protected] -6 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

Matrix/element doesn't make you give out a phone #

[–] [email protected] 18 points 21 hours ago

That's not why most people aren't on Signal.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 22 hours ago (3 children)

Neither do signal anymore i think

Them dropping sms took away a big carrot for adoption though.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

They absolutely do, but you can hide that behind a username after you've registered now. But you still have to come up with a number to register a new account.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 hours ago

Ah perfect thabks for the clarity, yes it was the username introduction that confused me - didnt realise it was both.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

Them dropping sms took away a big carrot for adoption though.

Still miss that feature everytime I get an SMS or have to send an sms if data isn't working.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 22 hours ago

Nope, they still require a number.

From their site:

Requiring phone numbers in Signal lets people see which of their friends they can easily talk to on Signal while limiting the potential for spam within the app.

There are options to spoof a number in the States, and probably some areas of th EU, but many other places are SOL.