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What I use instead of Google services

gabrielweinberg.com

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Re: What I use instead of Google services

#41

Post by imgabe »

oconnore wrote: post #28
spindritf wrote: post #10

OK, there's some value in diversifying instead of using one provider for everything but mostly he just swapped Apple, Fastmail, or Clicky in place of Google. They can still track him, read his email, know his calendar... The benefit here is marginal. And how do those companies stack up against Google when it comes to security? It's one thing to protect the data against snooping by the provider, it's anoter to protect…

The difference between data privacy now, and data privacy 10 or 20 years ago has little to do with how many people have access to it, or how secure it is. It mostly has to do with who can analyze it. An example: where you walk in public is public information, but for most of human history, no one has had the capability to keep a database of that information and query it retroactively. Your location information is the…

Ok, say someone has a complete database of my location sampled at 10 minute intervals over the past few years. What could they do with that information that would be harmful to me?

Re: What I use instead of Google services

#43

Post by wfjackson »

sergiotapia wrote: post #9

That's all fine and dandy - however most of the time when I'm working as a consultant, I'm created an email account on the company's domain. Typically hosted on, you guessed it, Google Apps. For some people leaving Google is literally not an option, and that's a shame.

Well, at least they have recently stopped tracking of emails in the paid Google Apps for Business to build an ad profile.

http://googleenterprise.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/protecting-st...

Re: What I use instead of Google services

#44

Post by chimeracoder »

natch wrote: post #36
Morphling wrote: post #26

>Phone OS: iOS I guess there isn't much you can do with this, but is changing from Android to iOS really big enough difference?

As he said, degrees matter. By which I guess he means differences of degree. The two companies involved (Google, Apple) have a fundamental difference in their business model. One involves you and your private data as the product; the other does not.

If what you care about is privacy, I really don't think iOS is appreciably better than Android. (Not marginally or theoretically - I mean practically).

If you're looking to be as private as possible[0], you should either use a custom ROM of Android with Privacy Guard and with Google services disabled (or use something like Replicant or FirefoxOS, if you're comfortable straying from the two dominant mobile OSes).

[0] As private as possible while still carrying around a tracking device 24/7, mind you (cell phones constantly report your location to your carriers, who are not at all modest with this data)

Re: What I use instead of Google services

#46

Post by dewey »

thenomad wrote: post #11
napoleond wrote: post #7

Another Fastmail endorsement--they really are fantastic. I confess to still using Gmail for some things but it's mostly just because I've been too lazy to switch over all of my accounts. Fastmail is truly a better service. As for calendar, I've heard good things about https://fruux.com/ although I haven't tried that myself yet. (And apparently Fastmail does calendar too--again, haven't tried.)

Is their spam filtering good? That's the primary reason I'm sticking with Google Apps for now.

Just to give you another data point: I don't get any spam on fastmail, it works well for me.

Re: What I use instead of Google services

#47

Post by personlurking »

In the face of nefarious agencies and companies that track, I don't think there's a 'best' option to switch to, per se, only a harder (to be tracked) option. Tracking, in my belief, still goes on, in one way or another.

So what are we left with? Trying as hard as possible to use online services for work (assuming that's your bread and butter) and to be in the real world for leisure, etc. Not always possible, and less possible as the years go on, but a lot better than thinking one (popular) online service will be a safe haven from another.

Re: What I use instead of Google services

#49

Post by CapitalistCartr »

imgabe wrote: post #41
oconnore wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference between data privacy now, and data privacy 10 or 20 years ago has little to do with how many people have access to it, or how secure it is. It mostly has to do with who can analyze it. An example: where you walk in public is public information, but for most of human history, no one has had the capability to keep a database of that information and query it retroactively. Your location information is the…

Ok, say someone has a complete database of my location sampled at 10 minute intervals over the past few years. What could they do with that information that would be harmful to me?

Seriously? Now I know everyone with whom you associate. I know everything you like to do. I know how fast you drive. Because you "associated" with several serious felons (you were in the same bar/diner/club as them several times), I can make a case for conspiracy. I have you in the same area as several serious crimes. Perhaps the data source (phone?) isn't exact all the time (it never is), so I have you as being at some places you weren't at. The scene of crimes? I know everyplace you've been for years, so forget running.

Have you been speeding in the past few years? A lot? Have you done anything private? Seen doctors/specialists about private medical issues? Have you had an abusive spouse or stalker in your life? I bet they'd love the data.

Re: What I use instead of Google services

#50

Post by wfjackson »

kungfooguru wrote: post #45

tl;dr: give your data to Apple instead of Google because...?

Because Apple's free services are a value add to increase their device sales off which they make a ton of money, while Google's free services are typically monetized with targeted advertising based on a profile built off your private data, so they tend to collect and retain a lot of it.
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