Just switched to a new phone carrier, and they had a promotion that included a free phone: the Google Pixel 8. I’m not a fan of Google, but I am a fan of free, so I took the bait.
It’s already bombarded me with pitches for their new AI bullshit. I’ve opted out of as much as the settings allow, but I’m under no illusion that doing so actually provides any real privacy.
So, damage control time.
On my previous device I used YouTube Vanced for music and videos, but I guess Vanced isn’t around anymore, and I’m pretty out of date on what the current options are… any insight on streaming specifically?
*I’m a medic who’s only surface-level competent with tech, so please idiot-proof any instructions.
Thanks all!
As was mentioned, you probably cannot switch to GrapheneOs until the phone is paid off (out of the first two years contract).
In the meantime you can:
These are some good suggestions! The most crucial one is perhaps a ditching Gmail, but using alternative apps, such as newpipe and stuff, also go a long way. Unfortunately, the system is fighting against you and you’ll have to really use a freer operating system to properly get away from Google. Still, these are good steps to take.
Newpipe isn’t an alternative to Gmail, I’m assuming that was just awkward wording. A good alternative to the Gmail app is FairEmail or K-9 Mail. Newpipe (or better yet Tubular) is a good alternative to YouTube (without google signin and local only storage of subscriptions, history, and playlists)
I meant alternative apps to Google’s in general, not to GMail specifically. Ditching GMail is an important step, as you block a relevant source of personal information, but using alternative apps, like MajorHavoc recommended, is another great step. NewPipe is one of such apps (I disagree Tubular is a better pick, but that’s something for another post).
K-9 and FairMail aren’t a good alternative to GMail. Not alone, that is. GMail is both an e-mail provider and a client, but I’d argue the first point is the most relevant. If you use a FOSS e-mail client with your Google account, nothing is really changing, they will still read all your mail. You have to change providers as well, which isn’t trivial for most people.
E-mail is an insecure means of communication, so you shouldn’t even use it for sensitive things, depending on your threat model, as usual. I personally use Migadu as my provider, for all the customisability and “vanilla” e-mail infrastructure they have, but Proton and Tuta are good alternatives as well, if you don’t mind or don’t care about the non-standard extensions.
Ditching your gmail account is the hardest step of degoogling and really isn’t one step. Ditching Gmail the app is good because it is one less permissive google app you have installed.
Tubular is just newpipe with sponsorblock and return YouTube dislike, which have their own Privacy Policies to worry about but are great features to have. Either way, you should be using a VPN because otherwise it isn’t much different then the scenario you mentioned with a FOSS client for a proprietary google service.
Yes, it is a hard step, but it is perhaps the most relevant one, hence why it’s important to get started with it, unless some external factor prevents the change. If you still have other Google apps (including Google Services), then uninstalling Gmail really does very little to nothing.
The assumption I was under for the parent comment’s scenario was that the device would remain with its default ROM, in which case Google services are installed as a system app and disabling/uninstalling through ADB would do little to change things (cus of the proprietary kernel and all). Moving to alternative FOSS clients helps a new user get used to alternatives and learn better compromises they can use in the future on a degoogled ROM with services they maybe be forced to use.
I see, that’s a good point indeed, it can be a good learning step. From a privacy standpoint, however, it’s not that effective.
What does the phone contract have to do with what you can do with the phone? Contracts are for the SIM card (and the network access that comes with it) which may include the cost of a subsidised phone, but you’re still paying that regardless of what you do with the phone, right? Or to put it another way I think they can network-restrict the phone but I don’t think they can stop you putting GrapheneOS on it.
Not in the US. A phone “purchased” on contract is carrier locked and you can’t unlock the bootloader, which needs to be done in order to install a different OS.
I found some very old posts that says network and bootloader unlocking are unrelated, is this no longer the case?
Apparently not, I have a Pixel 8 Pro that I got free on a promotion from AT&T. The bootloader is locked on it and grayed out.
That’s some serious bullshit, my condolences
Google does not let you unlock the boot loader if the device is carrier locked. It needs to get paid off and unlocked before the boot loader can be unlocked to install custom roms.
Oh wow, I thought we left that sort of thing behind in the 3310 era!