MCViewPoint

I have been de-Googling for a while but have recently made some advancements based on a recent post.

Some of the deletions I mention here are maintained on another device which never leaves the house and is accessed only at quiet times, for a short time. Any de-googling is otherwise carried across all platforms.

I have deleted Facebook and WordPress after initially shutting off all notifications. I cannot dis-able my secure email (Hushmail, Protonmail) without deleting entirely but email notification is shut off. Note that “encrypted” email providers, like Protonmail, usually must be encrypted on both ends of the conversation. There are exceptions…

I have de-Googled as much as possible. Gmail was limited, now disabled (no ramifications yet), no chrome, my music, which isn’t music but old radio dramas (CBS radio Mystery Theater, Suspense), is downloaded. Player…gone. Musicolet in.

Youtube…gone. Firefox Focus with automatic history erase (I find surfing on a phone very annoying-rarely done-not a temptation). I am experimenting with Drupe in place of Google contacts. Anything Google is disabled to the extent that the phone still operates.

I have a Google Voice phone number to protect my privacy! Doesn’t make a lot of sense does it? That may be going too.

I haven’t dumped Google maps yet. Lots of options, just haven’t gotten there yet. Maybe CoPilot or equivalent with a bluetooth GPS receiver. No (intrusive) data link required.

Photos all go straight to Drop Box and off the phone. No Gallery. Photos are easily transferred to another device.

My apps are limited to favorites such a Dark Sky, Rain Alarm, Earthquake Alert, Skyview, Voice Recorder, Nook, Wikipedia (I need it!)…fun stuff but be aware of what they can access

I would use an alternative OS but they can be expensive and limited. Blackphone, Apple, Blackberry, OnePlus, Ubuntu Touch are all pricey with Ubuntu Touch being a big DIY project. They are out there, you just have to look. A Microsoft phone…frying pan/fire!

Keeping gigabytes of data on a device you could accidently leave on a table at Mikky D’s  :>(  is not a good idea. More and more cops are using any excuse to download your device data. Don’t open your life to THEM!

Why don’t I just get a dumb phone? Apps are fun and informative. I enjoy thinking I am screwing Google. I am probably still getting the sharp end, I just don’t know it…yet.

Be seeing you