De-google-ify Internet

Amazing campaign by the French not-for-profit association Framasoft.

The De-google-ify Internet project offers 26 ethical and alternative online tools that may be used by everyone.

They build open source alternatives to many Google services like Youtube, Agenda, Docs, Forms, Maps etc, as well other services to replace Doodle, Facebook Event, Github, Zoom, Slack and much more!

Check their beautiful website, watch the videos to know more about their work and follow them here in Mastodon:

@Framasoft

degooglisons-internet.org/

#europe #opensource #europeanalternatives #EUtech #boycott #degoogle #google

If you're not running your own DNS resolver, and/or not running PiHole, changing your DNS from 8.8.8.8 to 9.9.9.9 is a good first step 😉

#dns #infrastructure #devops #quad9 #google #tcpip #internet #cybersec #infosec #cybersecurity #pihole

Sensitive content Click to open/close

I just published a new #article about the implementation for the new Trusted Time API by #Google - "Trusted Time API Implementation"

#AndroidDev #Android #Medium #Articles #TrustedTimeApi #API

medium.com/@nicosnicolaou/trus…

Trusted Time API Implementation - Nicos Nicolaou - Medium

In this article, we will explore the implementation of the new Trusted Time API by Google. For our example, there are two approaches for implementing this API: with Dependency Injection and without…

^{Nicos Nicolaou (Medium)}

First, they shut down the Basic HTML site, forcing many of us to switch to clients such as Thunderbird. Now, they're using qr codes which are not only inaccessible to the blind but also to those who don't use smartphones! This is ridiculous! Yes, they do still have the option to click whether it's you trying to sign in or not (which still requires a smartphone and a carrier, which they claim to be concerned about), but how long before they remove that, too?

pcmag.com/news/google-is-repla…

#accessibility #Android #authentication #blind #Google #GMail #IOS #Narrator #NVDA #sms #Talkback #technology #Voiceover #Windows

#Panoramax - das neue #StreetView!

Vor einigen Jahren wurde #Mapillary an #Meta verkauft. Und auch #Google StreetView möchte vielleicht nicht jeder nutzen.

Mit Panoramax gibt es nun eine #FOSS Alternative. Sie soll dezentral organisiert werden. Dies ist meines Wissens die erste Instanz:

panoramax.openstreetmap.fr
Kleiner Tipp:
Falls man das AdOn #ClearURLs verwendet, kommt man eventuell über die Animation wegen Blockierung von ETags nicht hinaus. Deshalb nutze ich Panoramax als #Firefox-PWA am Desktop.

#OSM #OpenStreetMap

EFF: Google is on the Wrong Side of History

｢ The fifth largest company in the world seems to have chosen to make the few extra bucks (relative to the company’s earnings and net worth) that will come from mass surveillance tools and AI-enhanced weapons systems ｣

eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/goog…

#google #bigtech #uspol #ai #genocide

Google is on the Wrong Side of History

Google continues to show us why it chose to abandon its old motto of “Don’t Be Evil,” as it becomes more and more enmeshed with the military-industrial complex. Most recently, Google has removed four key points from its AI principles.

^{Electronic Frontier Foundation}

#Google kills #uBlock Origin.

Check out these private browser alternatives:
➡️ tuta.com/blog/best-private-bro…

Which one is your favorite?

Wir alle hinterlassen online Fingerabdrücke doch Google ist extrem was es sammelt – lest den Artikel:

»Digitaler Fingerabdruck – Google hat eine neue Ära des Trackings eingeleitet, die schlimmer ist als Cookie-Banner:
Da Google Ihnen die Möglichkeit gibt, das Cookie-Tracking abzulehnen, beginnt es stillschweigend, Ihre Online-Gewohnheiten mit Fingerabdrücken zu erfassen.«
– von @Tutanota

🕵️ tuta.com/de/blog/digital-finge…

#google #fingerprinting #privatsphare #datenschutz #daten #spionage #tracking

Digitaler Fingerabdruck: Google hat eine neue Ära des Trackings eingeleitet, die schlimmer ist als Cookie-Banner | Tuta

^Tuta

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

#Google just launched a new era of tracking. Digital #fingerprinting.

❌ No consent
❌ No escape

Here’s why this is a #privacy nightmare much worse than #cookies: 👇

tuta.com/blog/digital-fingerpr…

Please consider hosting videos on other places than just #YouTube.

#Google is making it increasingly difficult to view their videos in ways that don't make you choke on their surveillance, ads and cookies. I will *never* load a video directly from YouTube, and I know I'm not the only one.

Please consider posting them on #PeerTube and sync that to YT for the people who still don't understand how evil Google is.

#BigTech

wo, i just received an email from google gemini, and i'm excited about it! seems like they are releasing a new feature called Gemini Live1! another AI feature that can help improve the lives of blind people.

"Google is starting to roll out updates to Gemini to make your conversations even more dynamic and engaging.

Gemini Live1 is a more natural way to have free-flowing voice conversations with Gemini on your phone. With our latest model, Live can better understand multiple languages, dialects, or accents in a single Live chat and help with your translation needs. In the coming months, we’ll also bring screen sharing and live video streaming capabilities to Live.

Your data is processed per the Gemini Apps Privacy Notice. As part of providing
this improved experience, your audio, video, and screenshares are stored in your
Gemini Apps Activity (if it’s on). Your data in Gemini Apps Activity is deleted per your
auto-delete period in that setting, and you can manage and delete your Gemini Apps
activity anytime. Learn more in the Gemini Apps Privacy Hub.

Thanks for using Gemini.
Sincerely,
The Gemini Team

© 2025 Google Ireland Ltd
Gordon House, Barrow Street,
Dublin 4, Ireland.
1 Check responses for accuracy. Compatible with certain features and accounts. Internet connection required.
Available on select devices and in select countries, languages, and to users 18+.
You have received this mandatory service announcement to update you about important changes to Gemini."

#Blind #AI #Google #Gemini #GeminiLive1 #Tech

Google have apparently automated getting rid of negative reviews resulting from their decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The only sensible thing to do is to try to stop using the products of billionaire owned American companies, who are *all* demonstrating that they were willing to at the very least bend for fascists, if not actively support fascism.

This came up as part of my continuing process of removing everything which benefits American billionaires from my phone.

I'm now using #organicMaps instead on my phone. It's about 1000 times faster because it doesn't waste time in continuously trying to show you ads.

organicmaps.app/
openstreetmap.org

#GulfOfMexico #google #BillionaireTaxDodgers #OligarchUSA #DeGooglization #DeAmericanisation

🗺️ As many people are angry with #Google & asking for alternatives to #GoogleMaps, here are some Free & #OpenSource options:

📱 App
- osmand.net/
- organicmaps.app
🌐 Web
- mapcarta.com
- openstreetmap.org

Not Open Source:
🌐&📱
en.mapy.cz
wego.here.com
mapquest.com
🌐
lokjo.com
📱
komoot.com
magicearth.com

#FCKGoogle #Alternative #Apps #App #Web #Software #News #Tech #Maps #Map #Technology #it

Mapy.cz

Nejpoužívanější mapový portál v ČR s celou řadou tématických map - základní, turistickou, cyklistickou, dopravní a plno dalších. Nabízí možnost reálného leteckého, panoramatického nebo 3D pohledu.

^Mapy.cz

Stop using #Google, cubs. Transition looks harder than it really is because we are creatures of habit, but there are better pastures beyond.

I myself have a @Tutanota subscription and use it for #email, calendar, and contacts (all three things you get on the email app). Very happy with how it works and how the contacts integrate with iPhone.

Check out these European alternatives ✨

european-alternatives.eu/categ…

#tech #EuropeanAlternatives mamot.fr/@Khrys/11398203069218…

You remember #Apple scanning all images on your #mobile device?

If you have an #Android #phone, a new app that doesn't appear in your menu has been automatically and silently installed (or soon will be) by #Google. It is called #AndroidSystemSafetyCore and does exactly the same - scan all images on your device as well as all incoming ones (via messaging). The new spin is that it does so "to protect your #privacy".

You can uninstall this app safely via System -> Apps.

developers.google.com/android/…

Google System APK Transparency

^{Google for Developers}

I'm trying to publish MapComplete as Android app in the #Google #Play Store (yeah, I know; and we'll publish in FDroid too).

But: google doesn't want to accept my identity, even though I sent them (a scan of) my identity card. Any idea what they expect and what works?

Häufig erreichte mich die Frage, ob der Beitrag zu Gmail noch zutrifft – und die Antwort lautet: Ja! Google, beziehungsweise Gmail, liest weiterhin eure E-Mails. Das betrifft nicht nur eure eigenen Nachrichten, sondern auch E-Mails von Absendern, die selbst kein Gmail-Konto haben, aber an eine Gmail-Adresse senden. 👇

kuketz-blog.de/gmail-google-li…

#gmail #google #surveillance #mail #email #datenschutz #teamdatenschutz

Gmail: Google liest eure E-Mails mit

Der vorliegende Microblog ist ein Ausschnitt aus dem Artikel »Adieu Gmail, GMX, Outlook und Co. – Digitale Selbstbestimmung Teil1«. Da…

^{www.kuketz-blog.de}

Google, a brief history

2004: Don’t be evil
2018: OK, be evil but at least don’t kill people
2025: Fuck it, kill people

independent.co.uk/business/goo…

#Google #BigTech #AI #SiliconValley #USA #capitalism #fascism

Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons

The tech giant has unveiled an update to its AI principles, which removes references to not pursuing work on weapons and surveillance.

^{Martyn Landi (The Independent)}

***** Panic at Google over Gulf of Mexico and Trump! *****

Report: In panic, #Google management issued P0 (top priority) order for Gulf of Mexico change.

Apparently Google management issued a P0 -- quite rare -- ordering geo employees to drop EVERYTHING else and do it immediately! -- for the change from "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America" for U.S. users. They were also ordered to move the status of the U.S. to "sensitive" where it joins countries like Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Iraq that demand the use of names not used elsewhere in the world.

I can't emphasize enough how telling it is that a P0 was issued. To me, it suggests absolute panic in the C-suite.

L

Anyone here witnessed/seen hour+ unskippable ads on #YouTube? Yes, you read that right. Supposedly, Google is only showing this to some users it suspects of using an adblocker.

We all know how #Google has become increasingly hostile towards adblocking technologies in the last couple years… but if this is true - and not some sort of bug - geez… doesn’t help they neither confirm or deny it in the news sources I’ve seen.

bgr.com/tech/hour-long-unskipp…

Hour-long unskippable ads are showing up on YouTube

YouTube has served hourlong unskippable ads to some people, which is a perfect excuse to use an ad blocker.

^{Chris Smith (BGR)}

***** Google Gemini Gmail WARNING *****

Damned #Google is now pushing their invasive AI crap Gemini onto the Desktop version of #Gmail, with no apparent way for individual users to disable it (Admins for commercial users apparently do have a toggle). The Gemini sucker icon appears as a four-pointed "sprite" next to the settings gear. If you hover on it, you'll see a "Try Gemini" tooltip. DO NOT CLICK ON IT, unless you want Google's horrific lying, fascism-ridden misinformation machine sucking up your emails.

NOTE: Again, there is no apparent way for individual user to disable this. The sprite appears even if you have all Gmail "Smart" features disabled.

This is Google blatantly trying to force this garbage on users who have no idea what it is and how much damage it can do to them, presumably as a first step toward pushing their "AI Agents" to take control of your browsing. Of course, if this is your kink, go ahead and chain yourself to Gemini. But you've been warned.

Earlier today, Google rejected a feature request asking for the option to use DNS-over-HTTPS servers other than Google’s and Cloudflare’s in Android: issuetracker.google.com/issues…

According to Google’s own testing, DoH is more private, secure, and performant than DoT on Android. There is no reason whatsoever to limit it to a handful of Google-approved servers.

Just like with Manifest V3 in Chrome, this arbitrary restriction on what DNS servers can use the most modern technologies in Android is a clear example of Google abusing their position to campaign against blocking invasive trackers. One of the clearest uses for custom DNS servers is the ability to block privacy-invasive services like Google’s at the DNS level.

Further details & discussion on our forum: discuss.privacyguides.net/t/go…

#android #google #privacy #dns

Google rejects feature request for arbitrary DNS-over-HTTPS server support

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/331250145?pli=1#comment7 Some background, since 2022 Android has used DNS-over-HTTP/3 instead of DNS-over-TLS for its Private DNS setting, but only for two predefined servers (Google and Cloudflare).

^{Privacy Guides Community}

We would also like to #welcome all people joining us today! If you are switching over from #Twitter, #X, #Facebook, #Instagram: welcome into a truly federated social network.

While you've made the switch, consider also moving away from that other big corporation named #Google: a great alternative is #OpenStreetMap . There are many apps (such as @organicmaps or #osmand)

There are also a lot of maps about a specific topic. You can find a collection of them on mapcomplete.org

MapComplete - editable, thematic maps with OpenStreetMap

MapComplete is a platform to visualize OpenStreetMap on a specific topic and to easily contribute data back to it.

^{mapcomplete.org}

Ryan Chenkie:

Developers, please be careful when installing Homebrew. Google is serving sponsored links to a Homebrew site clone that has a cURL command to malware. The URL for this site is one letter different than the official site.

Note: Google allows the ad sponsors to specify an URL that will be displayed on the ad (original brew.sh here), but the click takes you to the malware domain brewe.sh.

#Apple #HomeBrew #Google #MacOS

#Google Starts Tracking All Your Devices In 6 Weeks—Forget Chrome And #Android

Long story short is that Google has made updates to its advertising ecosystem essentially _permitting_ the fingerprinting of devices for use in targeted advertising. In their words they are going to be “less prescriptive with partners in how they target and measure ads.”

Doesn’t mean fingerprinting wasn’t happening before, just that Google is giving the green signal to the rest of the ecosystem to do so… and will likely use this to maybe replace third-party cookies.

Use an adblocker. Seriously.

#privacy #ads #privacymatters #useadblockers

forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/20…

Google Starts Tracking All Your Devices In 6 Weeks—Forget Chrome And Android

Say hello to 2025—the way you're tracked has suddenly changed. Here's what you need to know.

^{Zak Doffman (Forbes)}

You've got to be kidding me, Microsoft, what the actual fuck. When you search for "google" in Bing, it will display a Google like page, tricking you into thinking you are on Google. The amount of INNOVATION coming from the capitalist behemoths is simply astounding!

bleepingcomputer.com/news/micr…

#microsoft #google #searchengine #search #bing #antitrust

❌ Stop #Google Calendar having access to your and your family's data! ❌

Tuta Calendar lets you and your family stay organized in true privacy with post-quantum encryption.

Share, plan, and organize your family's calendar privately with Tuta ❤🔐

tuta.com/blog/best-family-cale…

#familycalendar #tutacalendar #PostQuantumCryptography #degoogle

In 2024 #Google forced users to choose between #Chrome and #uBlockOrigin

Most chose the latter because finally everyone understands it's time to quit Google. 😎

Here are our favorite browser alternatives:
➡️ tuta.com/blog/best-private-bro…

Which one did you pick?

🦊 Firefox
🦆 DuckDuckGo
🕵️ Tor Browser
Mullvad
Pale Moon
Puffin
GNU IceCat
WaterFox
Brave
Hyphanet

youtu.be/lb71EGCzoEw

Nulla di nuovo, ma carino che anche canali mainstream parlino di alternative a #Google #Foto

@lealternative

#alternatives #alternative #immich #photo #degoogled #selfhosting

Ho ABBANDONATO Google FOTO per... MEMORIA "senza LIMITI" e TOTALE PRIVACY (ecco come)

ISCRIVITI se ti piace la TECNOLOGIA ➡️ http://www.youtube.com/c/TuttoTechNet?sub_confirmation=1Google Foto è uno dei migliori servizi online di sempre, perme...

^YouTube

A public sector funding initiative should pick up #Mozilla #Firefox and drive it as a community browser indepedent of #Google funding.

A browser is by far the single most impactful gateway to computing resources for people nowadays. (Right after a mobile OS.)

It must not be allowed to fail.

zdnet.com/home-and-office/netw…

#OpenSource #OpenWeb #PublicSector #PublicMoneyPublicCode

Why Google's legal troubles could hasten Firefox's slide into irrelevance

Fewer people than ever use the once popular web browser, but Mozilla remains profitable thanks to Google. How long can that trend continue with the Department of Justice coming after Google?

^{Steven Vaughan-Nichols (ZDNET)}

Redesign rule #1: if you have no good ideas, you can always make round buttons square and square buttons round

Picture from twitter.com/@LukeW

#Google #Calendar

Repeat offenders drive bulk of tech support scams via #Google #Ads

"Search engines, and Google’s in particular, are our gateway to the web. Yet, that door sometimes opens up to unsavory places thanks to sponsored search results, AKA ads."

This is part of the reason I recommend using an #adblocker (whether in browser, on device, or network-based.)

#cybersecurity #scams #security #privacy

malwarebytes.com/blog/scams/20…

Repeat offenders drive bulk of tech support scams via Google Ads | Malwarebytes

Consumers are getting caught in a web of scams facilitated by online ads often originating from the same perpetrators.

^{Jérôme Segura (Malwarebytes)}