UnGoogle - DeGoogled
Let us recall in brief the good reasons to separate ourselves as much as possible from Google tools:
- Not respecting private data
- Excessive tracking
- Profiling for advertising purposes
- Use of our data for AI without consent, replacement of Search Engine by Gemini AI
- Services built into the Android system that cannot be removed
- Selling our data without respecting their own posted policy (for example: medical, debt,…)
In the press:
- The Google “Fingerprint” system tracks our data trhough all Google Apps, even Iot at home, no more cookies, no more control on our data. Sources: ICO
- Medical and crishind debt personal data are collected despite Google Terms and Conditions. Sources: Wired
- Scientific data censured and deleted in the USA, topics as women, climat and LGQBTA+. Sources: Harvard, The Guardian
- Columbia University testing AI, Gemini, far from being the most respectful and reliable
The American political and economic situation is pushing the big companies of the net-economy, the Gafa, to deregulate. Research censorship and various government decrees guide the ideology spread on social networks and AI, without leaving us free will.
Here are the foundations on which the evolution of Google tools is built.
In Europe, we have a lot alternative solutions to replace Google Apps and services, most free, some paid, but all privacy-friendly and secured. Some are still privacy-friendly in USA as long as they restist…
So let’s start changing!
Google has a "free" solution for everything
- A free mail, the gmail, with a large storage capacity.
- Going around, Google has Maps
- Search on the Web, Google has its own search engine
- Storage of your photos, videos, Google has its drive
- Need a calendar that beeps you? Google has its own calendar
- Too many passwords, Google manages and stocks your passwords
- A visio, also Google has its apps
- A small survey, Google offers its Survey
- You do not have Microsoft Office, Google offers GoogleDocs / Google Sheets
- Watch a video, Youtube stores and broadcasts
- You put your fingerprint to secure your smartphone, you gave it to Google and no way to delete it.
Everything is free in appearance and largely imposed on Android smartphones.
In priority
Exit Gmail, and take a really secure and private mail. Keep your Gmail only for Google accounts. As a personal matter, it is even imperative, Google does not have to look at your relations with your banks, insurance, state services, social services, your family and friends.
No longer acquire an Android and Apple phone, prefer a solution like E/OS or lineageOS directly.
Minimize the use of Google Apps replacing most of them and de-activate them
The safest alternative solutions are European, email, agenda, visio, storage, orientation (maps), password management, etc. Most of them are free, some paid but not excessive considering that storage costs and their security are high, especially without advertising or monetization of our data.
Choose a secure email and transfer your data
This is a non-exhausting but proven list of free email service, suite of free tools or very moderate prices. All meet high security levels and are GDPR compliant. Your data is not read or you will not receive any advertising.
Tuta Mail
Tutal Mail (Germany) offers a free secured private mail, responding the GPRD legislation
Included:
- 1 personal mail with 1 Gb of storage
- 1 calendar
- Online and Apps
Proton Mail
Proton Mail (Switzerland) is one of the best private mail. The free version includes:
- 1 personal and privat mail with 2 Gb storage
- 1 cloud with 2 Gb
- 1 tool that make de switch from Gmail easyer
- Online and Apps
My Ksuite
My Ksuit, (Switzerland) is a free suite by Infomaniak :
- 1 private mail with 20 Gb storage
- 1 cloud with 15 Gb
- 1 calendar
- 1 videoconference tool
- Online and Apps
Mailbox
Mailbox, (Germany), not free but very low price considering it covers a full family (parents and children), 3€/month (36€/year)
- 5 private mails with 10 Gb storage
- 1 cloud with 5 Gb / pers.
- 1 calendar / pers.
- 1 videoconference tool
- Chat and collaboration tools
- No Apps
Murena
https://murena.io/Murena (France) offers its service normaly linked to its E/OS for smartphones:
- 1 private mail
- 1 cloud with 1 Gb
- 1 calendar
- OneOffice (Latvia) suite
- 1 gestionnaire de mots de passe
- En ligne et disponible en Apps Android et IOS
Transfer contacts and messages from one service to another
Some services offer easy migration. Otherwise -and in all cases, recommended- you must first export your contacts to his computer, then export your messages also on his computers, and re-import them to the new email service.
De-activate Google Apps on Android
With Android OS on your smartphone, you cannot delete Google Apps, but you can de-activate them in the Apps parameters. Keep you finger on the Apps, then clic on “!”.
Smartphones and tablets without Google or Apple
Some Android smartphones can switch systems to LineageOS or its E/OS adaptation: all Androids Apps can run on it but without Google Android.
E/OS - e foundation
E foundation offers a version of the LineageOS system well adapted to Europeans and Canadians in order to have a powerful smartphone and tablet compatible with the Android applications you are used to.
E/OS offers an installer for a few common smartphones on the market in order to get rid of Android and its suite of built-in, non-removable software. Otherwise, installations are also possible but manually for a large number of smartphones and tablets.
Murena
Murena is a French initiative that offers smartphones and tablets de-googled with the E/OS system.
The products are essentially – and ironically- branded Pixel (Google brand) without Google:-). But there are also Chinese brands and especially the Fairphone from the Netherlands, the only smartphone fully repairable, upgradable, and whose raw material supply chains are controlled to be as fair as possible.
LineageOS
Lineage OS is an international Open Source initiative that offers a privacy-friendly, royalty-free smartphone system.
The list of smartphones that can support Lineage OS is long but it requires manual installations.
Minimize Google tools, other alternatives
Which apps can replace those of Google, free or paid, EU or US (as long as privacy and security are respected)? This is a non-exhaustive list of proven products. Most tools are included in vendor-supplied Suites.
The tools “Web and Apps” are mentioned when they are accessible via the Web and Apps to install, Android and IOS, sometimes on computer, mentioned “Web based” when online and suitable for any screen, computer or mobile.
Browsers
Replace tracking browser by respectful ones
Search engines
Replace search Engines like Google and Bing. Note that Google will be replaced by its IA Gemini soon.
- Qwant (France): no data collected, has a specific edition for children >>link
- Ecosia (Germany): involved in environment protection, no data collected >>link
- DuckDuckGo (USA): no filtered search engine, no data collected >>link
- Tor Browser: Tor is a browser without any filter that allows you to access content without any moderation, good or not. Much of the content distributed by whistleblowers is accessible via Tor, such as content published in .onion. Do not let children use it. >>link
Data storage, Drives
Replace Google Drive for private data storage (photos, video, documents,…)
Maps
Replace Google Maps and Waze (owned by Google).
Online Videos
Replace Youtube
Free: Vimeo Basic (USA), free account with5 Go soace for your videos, free account may be deleted after one year of non-used account….
Paid: Vimeo (USA) for professionals
>>link
Survey
Replace Google Sheets
Free: LimeSurvey (Open Source international), Web based >>link
Apps Store
Replace Play Store imposed on Android
Android alternative suite
A suite to replace most of pre-installed Google Apps on Android
- Simple Mobile Tool (Open Source), good suite for most of Android Apps 0,79€ par Apps available on PlayStore, since 2016. >>link
Conclusion
To fully degoogle is not a simple operation for owners of smartphones on Android, however, the news helps, solutions evolve quickly! In the meantime, it is still important to get rid of as many tools as possible: Gmail for personal, administrative and business messages. The Drive, automatically installed on Android that stores your data (photos, videos, apps) by default. And of course take a data-friendly browser instead of Chrome. Then, some applications such as orientation (Google Maps) can also be easily replaced.
The list of free and managed email, calendar, storage, etc. services in Europe that respect privacy, data security and do not send you advertising is reliable and important enough to do without others. For optimal protection, investing in your data remains also important with solutions of family or professional storage, communication tools, etc. All details are provided belowto choose a formula or formulas adapted to his needs without scattering in too many accounts.
For a more complete list of Apps and services that replace those of Gafa: it’s here.
See also Alternatives Europe list, created by Constantin Graf (Austria)