I have degoogled my phone few years ago it really hit me how much the phones depend on Google services. Few examples from of my daily usage when I compromised:

  1. Communication

I’m in students group, people there have own group chat on facebook messenger. They share info regarding tests, deadlines etc. Basically standard uni messaging. Unless I had fake Facebook account to be there I would have to collect all info by myself. The alternative is a discord server, which in privacy terms is questionable choice too.

At least I have few friends who use Signal or Element, but it’s minority.

What do you usually use and offer when people ask you for contact?

  1. Banking app

Banking app I used has blocked me from app after few years of using it when they realized I have it from “unofficial” source - Aurora store. That motivated to switch the bank and app, which doesn’t really on Google Play services. The easiest way to do that was browsing Huawei app store and finding the most suitable app. Do you use baking apps?

  1. Taxi/Transport

Of course theres no way to use Bolt/Uber for transport on degoogled device. What’s your way of transport after having few beers in pub? Do you use taxi via calling it directly or use that weird Telegram taxi addon?

  1. Map directions

Is there a way to convert google map pins to open source solutions and vice versa? What’s your recommended software for directions? What do you use for driving?

  1. Fitness

Do you track fitness activities?

  1. Phone

Do you have good phone recommendations? I know that GrapheneOS+Pixel is one, but what about others?

  • communism@lemmy.ml
    4·
    2 days ago

    The alternative is a discord server, which in privacy terms is questionable choice too.

    I use a Discord-Matrix bridge to communicate with some groups that are only on Discord. Of course it still all goes over Discord’s servers so the messaging itself isn’t private, but you at least don’t have to use Discord’s proprietary client, and the only data Discord will have is the data you send it from the Matrix bridge (plus identifying data on the Matrix server you’re using).

    What do you usually use and offer when people ask you for contact?

    Signal as a preference—not because I think it’s the best chat app (I dislike its centralised nature; not being able to self-host is a near-on dealbreaker if not for the fact that everyone I know is on Signal; and it requiring a phone number to sign up is also bad for privacy)—but because it’s the one the most people have. All my friends are on it luckily, by nature of my friends largely being communists or young queer people (or both). I also offer SMS and email. If someone asks a pretty open-ended “how can I contact you”, I might also mention Matrix and Simplex as options in case they have those.

    Do you use ba[n]king apps?

    No, and I really don’t understand why people do unless your bank requires it and there isn’t another appropriate bank that doesn’t require it. I’ve tried my bank’s app (which works fine on GOS luckily) and found it didn’t offer anything the web UI didn’t offer, other than the option to use the app as 2FA for banking stuff, but I just get SMS 2FA from my bank.

    What’s your way of transport after having few beers in pub? Do you use taxi via calling it directly or use that weird Telegram taxi addon?

    I don’t use taxis; I use public transport. But if I had to get a taxi, I would probably either use my GPlay profile on my GOS phone to install Uber, or I would probably just ring a taxi company over the phone.

    Is there a way to convert google map pins to open source solutions and vice versa?

    I’m not aware of a way. I’ve just told people to either give me an address or coordinates, because I don’t have google maps.

    What’s your recommended software for directions? What do you use for driving?

    Organic Maps has been my go-to for a while. It’s wonderful. Works well for driving too. I use RHVoice for text-to-speech, which iirc was recommended to me by a fellow lemming.

    I don’t track fitness activities, and I use GOS+Pixel.

    • OnePhoenix@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      23 hours ago

      but I just get SMS 2FA from my bank.

      How do you feel about the claims of SMS 2FA not being safe? Does that bother you? Or is it a risk you’re willing to take? Genuinely asking because my banking app does the same and I’m not sure how much of a real ‘threat’ SMS 2FA is.

      • communism@lemmy.ml
        2·
        20 hours ago

        SMS 2FA is not secure, and I don’t particularly care about the security of my bank account. I have a state threat model as a political organiser, a very real one given the arrests, raids, imprisonment, etc I and my comrades have faced, meanwhile I’m not aware of any rando civilians hellbent on stealing my money. And frankly I don’t have that much money to steal anyway. If you’re determined to get my sim card to log into my meagre bank account you probably need the money more than me.

        I guess if you’re that worried about SMS security you could get an esim and rely on device encryption to protect it. Wouldn’t be the most secure thing in the world but at least it provides some protection, and if you buy an esim anonymously (e.g. with https://silent.link/) an attacker can’t impersonate you to try get your sim card.