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De-Googleify Internet

degooglisons-internet.org

211–220 of 266 posts

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#211
post #205
post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, Google can track my ip. I guess you should browse through tor if you're this worried about tracking. Google tracks IPs like Amazon tracks shipping addresses. It's kind of hard to deliver what you've requested if they don't have your address.

I can still get email through a vpn just like I can get packages at a p.o. box.

My point about the address comparison was that if you're using Google, you're asking them to send you data. Yes, you can route all requests through a VPN, just as you have send to a P.O. box or through a courier to hide your home address from Amazon. But I question the sanity of this. If you're worried about Google knowing your IP address or Amazon knowing your mailing address, it seems generally better to simply not use them.

If you're using Gmail (or sending email to people who use Gmail), Google already knows a ton about you. They can probably guess where you live without knowing your IP. They can certainly guess where you live if you're ever searching for region-specific stores/parks/directions/etc. I suspect if you're browsing through a VPN regularly, Google has enough data to pick you out of the searches coming from the VPN's outbound IPs with fairly high confidence.

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#212
I recently reinstalled my system and didn't immediately install any AdBlock software, so for the first time in many years, I actually saw ads (that I noticed). I was surprised how relevant the ads actually were. They very clearly had an idea about what I had been researching the last couple of days. I think this is probably a good thing, if ads are supposed to be a necessary evil.

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#213
post #3

Just talking about search alternative; DuckDuckGo is my default search engine for over 2 years. It's incredibly good, the only caveat is you need to re-learn how to search. The same way you "changed yourself" initially for google.

Have you compared DuckDuckGo and Google lately?

I ask because I used DuckDuckGo almost exclusively for about three years (had it as my search engine on desktop and iOS Safari) until a few months ago. A few months ago I noticed that DuckDuckGo's results began becoming very spammy and that I was having to use Google for anything more than a trivial single keyword search. So I switched back over to Google for a few days and never went back - Instant Answers actually turned out to be not that useful, Google's result quality is miles ahead, and the !bang feature is almost redundant because browsers support search-by-site natively. I know DDG has privacy as a selling point - but it's just not important enough for me to not use an overall better search engine, as much as I root for the underdog.

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm. Go read their TOS about hyperlinking and see if you still think they're friendly.

Daplie doesn't have a TOS on the Server. The TOS is established by the owner of the device, literally.

They actually changed it - when I looked at it, they had some BS about approving linking to their site.

Tried finding the backup on archive.org, but it's having a difficult time with that site.

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#215
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A blood sample? The only fields they ask for that might be too much for someone is a phone number and prior email, and neither is required to make an account. I take my privacy very seriously and understand a lot of the apprehension about Google's tracking, but I think you are being a little ridiculous.

I've never been able to sign-up for a google account without entering a valid phone number. Even typing 555-5555 it will state it needs a valid phone number.

From Dubai. Didn't need to enter a phone number or a recovery email to create an account

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#216
Well, I'm sorry but it's in french and I don't speak it, and english is not my native either, but it's rather established when comes to open software.

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#217
Hint: you window needs to be over 1020px for the page to actually work. Otherwise the actual content you get when clicking the map is hidden behind the map (I almost dismissed this, but noticed it by coincidence).

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#219
post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The forced-login isn't to improve product quality, it's to make more money on ads. StackOverflow/Exchange works great without forced login to view content.

whynotboth.gif Stack overflow works better when people provide answers and feedback on prior answers; persistent login greatly increases the chance that someone will leave a reply, which in turn helps future users.

The difference is that SO doesn't force you to log in to be usable, as its revenue profile does not require it to.

Re: De-Googleify Internet

#220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does it even work? I interpret such behaviour as "you are not welcome here" and close the page.

Of course it works. That's like the only way to get loads of new users.

Dead users. It would be great to just use a throwaway email to bypass the stupidity of only they wouldn't block those.

(this is also why sign up process is complex)

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