Has anyone been able to successfully de-Google their life?

[ClaraStahlbaum]

Has anyone been able to successfully de-Google their life? I have been on the hunt for de-Googling for the longest time. I recently switched to Firefox. I am not sure if this is the right place to post this, so the mods can move this thread if it is the wrong place to put this. I am looking for Advice.

 

[Puonti]

Mostly. YouTube is difficult to replace if one finds it useful.

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

Mostly. YouTube is difficult to replace if one finds it useful.

Youtube is pretty much the hardest catch for me since it is integrated with Google. I wish that whole thing never happened and Youtube never became connected with Google+.

 

[edubfromktown]

Nope. I do use Google Advanced Protection to lock down data more effectively, add extra layers of security, defend against targeted phishing attacks and other threats. It works with both (certain FIDO compliant) physical security keys (including Google Titan, YubiKey, etc.) or passkeys, which I avoid like the plague.

Firefox running on macOS has gone off the rails a few too many times for me (over a number of years). I use Chrome just about everywhere because it integrates well with Google apps, Keep for notes, Google Contacts (that sync to my Mac's Contacts), etc.

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

Nope. I do use Google Advanced Protection to lock down data more effectively, add extra layers of security, defend against targeted phishing attacks and other threats. It works with both (certain FIDO compliant) physical security keys (including Google Titan, YubiKey, etc.) or passkeys, which I avoid like the plague.

Firefox running on macOS has gone off the rails a few too many times for me (over a number of years). I use Chrome just about everywhere because it integrates well with Google apps, Keep for notes, Google Contacts (that sync to my Mac's Contacts), etc.

I used to jump around on browsers a lot. Back in the day I used to use Opera, and Opera was my longest used operating system. Then I jumped to Opera GX for a bit and used it for a while. Then I used Brave. Brave and Opera GX were fine, but there was a point in time that they lost their luster for me and I haven't gone back.

For the last 4 years or so I've been using Yandex, and now I am on Floorp/Firefox. No significant issues so far. It feels good for me to be using something that isn't Chromium based.

 

[Le Big Mac]

Use Safari browser, fastmail (email), and duckduckgo (search). No google devices (e.g., Nest).

I do use Chrome for a limited number of things - mainly certain sites that don't play well with Safari.

I use Youtube some but not logged in.

That said, I am quite sure Google is still fully tracking me - I just give them fewer opportunities.

 

[mblm85]

For me, the biggest issue would be moving away from Gmail.

I joined in early 2005 when you needed an invitation! Since then, all my personal email has been through Gmail, and my Gmail email address is part of most of my web and app logins. Changing would be a massive headache. There are probably things I signed up to with it that I've forgotten, so it wouldn't be a complete migration anyway. I also don't want all my eggs in one basket.

YouTube is a close second for difficulty in leaving Google.

 

[bjf123]

Wish I could. I don’t have Chrome installed on any of my devices, but do have a Gmail account. YouTube TV is also my TV provider. Yes, I recognize the irony in that. They have a great service at a decent price. I use Safari as my primary browser with DuckDuckGo as the search engine.

 

[eyoungren]

No, and I am not trying to. In late 2012, Google's services along with Yahoo, Dropbox and Microsoft Office (2008) were what enabled me to get my PowerBook G4 and my then new iPhone 5 in sync. Since that time, Google has enabled me to be cross platform. It gives me the freedom to leave iOS whenever I want and to come back whenever I want.

As of yesterday, a new iPad Mini (1st gen) I bought specifically to be a GPS/NAV for my car is functioning on iOS 9.3.6 because Google Maps still works.

Ditching Google means I lose the ability to come and go between iOS and Android. While some may consider Apple to be a better caretaker, I have no desire to solely lock myself in to ANYONES services. This would be tantamount to locking me in to Apple. As the Bentusi in Homeworld say, "I will not be bound!"

 

[Puonti]

While some may consider Apple to be a better caretaker, I have no desire to solely lock myself in to ANYONES services. This would be tantamount to locking me in to Apple.

De-Googling doesn't mean ballchaining your digital things to some other single vendor.

 

[VisceralRealist]

I haven't made a specific attempt to do so, but I do use fewer Google services than I used to. I rarely use Chrome anymore, I don't use Gmail, and I'm not looking forward to Gemini integration with Apple (but I avoid all AI as much as I can).

That said, I am a regular user of YouTube and Google Maps, and it's unlikely I will stop using them. Apple Maps is much better than it used to be, but Google Maps is still superior, especially for things like Street View and showing hiking/biking trails. Other maps don't even come close.

(I have been trying to de-Amazon lately, and that has not been easy either).

 

[Allyance]

Unfortunately I have a Nest thermostat that was installed before Google bought the company, I keep getting prompted to "upgrade" my account to Google, I refuse. If I had the money I would buy a different brand. I like the basic Nest software, works fine.

 

[edubfromktown]

For me, the biggest issue would be moving away from Gmail.

I joined in early 2005 when you needed an invitation! Since then, all my personal email has been through Gmail, and my Gmail email address is part of most of my web and app logins. Changing would be a massive headache. There are probably things I signed up to with it that I've forgotten, so it wouldn't be a complete migration anyway. I also don't want all my eggs in one basket.

YouTube is a close second for difficulty in leaving Google.

Totally understand. All I can say is that many of my far scarier enterprise IT and security friends use Google stuff (with appropriate guardrails in place, as I mentioned previously). Many of them also use Android mobile phones. I went down that path for the 1st time when the Pixel 4a came out. Been there ever since; now on S25 Ultra 512 since pre-release order over a year ago. Knox security has some very nice features- one of which is a separate (containerized O365 work profile, solid encryption and separate isolated apps in Secure Folder) profile.

Whichever mobile and desk/laptop platforms we choose, complacency leads down an ugly path. I do well using a Chromebook for ~85% of daily personal stuff, macOS at home and now work as well (since M$ finally came up with enough to make $JAMF$ less of an enterprise thing. I've worked for places with >1,000 JAMF users; 1/3rd total compared to (Dell- YUCK!) Windows users. All of my servers run Linux...

 

[ejb190]

I've had better luck "fracturing" my Google use. For instance, my YouTube account is connected to one email while my phone is attached to another. When Google took over FitBit - I was out. I don't need one company tracking my travel, fitness and web browsing. That's just too much. Try to use DuckDuckGo as much as possible, but sometimes I can't.

 

[LeeW]

No, and I don't want to. Every company has its faults and issues. Understanding them is a stronger position IMO. Google offers a lot of good products and services, I can live with some of the faults and issues.

 

[ivanwi11iams]

No, and I don't want to. Every company has its faults and issues. Understanding them is a stronger position IMO. Google offers a lot of good products and services, I can live with some of the faults and issues.

THIS!

 

[johan851]

No, and I don't want to. Every company has its faults and issues. Understanding them is a stronger position IMO. Google offers a lot of good products and services, I can live with some of the faults and issues.

They also still have a solid security culture and do a good job handling data. That and I'm a Gmail fan.

I do use Firefox / Safari though, they have a better ad blocking story and I'm happy to not have Google knowing absolutely everything.

 

[bunce66]

Why would you want to de-Google? I know people are worried about privacy, but I've used it for 20+ years and never had any negative consequence for that. And I don't know anyone who has.
Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Search, and yes Chrome are all great products. Gemini is getting there.

I would be far more likely to de-Microsoft because their products are just bad. I could live without everything, except Excel, but even that's on shaky ground.

 

[neutrino17]

I don’t have any Google accounts. I don’t feel I’m missing anything. I use Apple and Mailfence for email, Safari for the browser, DuckDuckGo for search, Apple Maps for navigation. Sometimes I view YouTube videos because that is the link offered in a news feed. I may add Proton mail as a backup.

 

[Puonti]

Why would you want to de-Google?

There's more to it than I want to go into, but one big reason for me is valuing my privacy more than what Google (or Meta, or Microsoft, or...) offers in exchange for commercializing my data and data about me.

 

[dumastudetto]

I've had better luck "fracturing" my Google use. For instance, my YouTube account is connected to one email while my phone is attached to another. When Google took over FitBit - I was out. I don't need one company tracking my travel, fitness and web browsing. That's just too much. Try to use DuckDuckGo as much as possible, but sometimes I can't.

Most likely you sent enough signals for Google to be able to link all those profiles within a few moments of creating them.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I have fun with google. I stream golden girls reruns on YT, I subscribe to an AARP email sent to a gmail, I use chrome to google search hotflash remedies, wrinkle creams and unwanted hair growth and I put my iPhone in the back pocket of my beagles coat and let her run around doing nose-to-the ground Beagle things.

The great Google now thinks I’m a post-menopausal, retired woman who REALLY likes their back yard and long walks around their neighborhood.

😛

 

[SRQrws]

My biggest annoyance with Google is not so much that they track everything you do, but more their constant badgering to sign in with your Google account. Geez....go to realtor.com and get badgered by Google; same with the weather channel, YouTube, etc. So annoying. But, I have two gmail accounts and switching out of them would be a huge pain. I have, however, managed to de-Microsoft my life, getting rid of Outlook email and canceling my Office 365 account when they raised the cost from $69.99/yr to $99.99. I'm now using Pages and Numbers with OnlyOffice as a backup. I'd love to get rid of Amazon as well, since Bezos makes me cringe, but that would be a challenge.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you use YouTube, use your web browser with an adblocker, don’t create an account, make sure save search and viewing history is turned off permanently as well, and use a VPN.

 

[eyoungren]

De-Googling doesn't mean ballchaining your digital things to some other single vendor.

Google provides my notes, my books, my calendar, my reminders and most importantly my contacts. I have iCloud mail (3 or 4 addresses I think) but I never use it. I have other email providers. And while there are other services that come close to Google, one of which I've had since 1999 (Yahoo), I'm not sure which are cross platform and which aren't. I know Dropbox is, and that's been my storage since 2009.

So no. It doesn't mean that. But take Google away and there are few services that cover the majority of what Apple does for iOS. While I do use some Apple services, I am not reliant upon them BECAUSE of Google.