DeGoogle - Canada

cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/47840696

Keep Android Open

In August 2025, Google announced that starting next year, it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform without first registering centrally with Google.

This registration will involve:

• Paying a fee to Google
• Agreeing to Google’s Terms and Conditions
• Providing government identification
• Uploading evidence of an app’s private signing key
• Listing all current and future application identifiers

Sign the open letter. And get active to help oppose the enactment of the policy in other ways listed on the website. Are there any more ways to oppose this?

If we want to argue that Degoogling isn't just about privacy, but about protecting your digital life from being shut down at the whim of a tech giant with no real appeal process, what are some examples showing why we shouldn’t ignore the risk of Google banning users, locking them out of countless accounts, and deleting photos, emails, and records that often lack backups?

Some examples that I personally know of:

• Being mass reported in YouTube comments for expressing a controversial opinion
• Filing a copyright claim, only for a creator to appeal it, and failing to provide ownership proof within 48 hours
• Having your Google account hacked and used for fake ads or Play purchases, then being told the charges are “legitimate,” and facing a ban if you dispute them
• Having your $1000 Google store purchase lost in transit, then being told that you're not getting a refund and if you try to chargeback, you'll be banned.
• Failing to provide a picture of a credit card for a Google store order flagged for fraud within 72 hours.

As a result of this discussion in !degoogle@lemmy.ml, there is now an IRC channel about degoogling!

/join ##degoogle on irc.libera.chat:6697 (TLS). The channel name begins with a double hashtag (according to the namespace policy).

Come on down and join us through your local IRC client or the web client web.libera.chat!

Finally, a reason to use Bing Maps.

Lol, as if MS is above anti-science sycophancy for Assolini's administration. Get off all corporate US tech

I had forgotten how clickbaity default Youtube thumbnails are.

Also, they have a Matrix chat: #sponsor:ajay.app

(bold mine)

The Atlantic reports some YouTube users noticed their uploaded videos have since "been subtly augmented, their appearance changing without their creators doing anything..."

"For creators who want to differentiate themselves from the new synthetic content, YouTube seems interested in making the job harder."

YouTube didn't tell me what motivated its experiment, but some people suspect that it has to do with creating a more uniform aesthetic across the platform. As one YouTube commenter wrote: "They're training us, the audience, to get used to the AI look and eventually view it as normal."

Google isn't the only company rushing to mix AI-generated content into its platforms. Meta encourages users to create and publish their own AI chatbots on Facebook and Instagram using the company's "AI Studio" tool. Last December, Meta's vice president of product for generative AI told the Financial Times that "we expect these AIs to actually, over time, exist on our platforms, kind of in the same way that [human] accounts do...."

This is an odd turn for "social" media to take. Platforms that are supposedly based on the idea of connecting people with one another, or at least sharing experiences and performances — YouTube's slogan until 2013 was "Broadcast Yourself" — now seem focused on getting us to consume impersonal, algorithmic gruel.

cross-posted from: https://lemmybefree.net/post/1243814

Hi! I'm looking for a privacy respecting Android tablet.

I ruled out the google tablet due to it being too expensive with an LCD screen

I would prefer a nice OLED screen if possible (or similar), and preferably cheap. Must be able to stream HEVC encoded videos (not 10 years old hardware), and preferably more (VP9, AV1, for future proofing)

The main use will be to watch content (movies, series, videos) from YouTube and Jellyfin, and sometimes some other apps if they're not enforcing the Play Integrity API

So far I've searched some OS and I'm considering LineageOS or /e/OS, with /e/OS looking better in terms of privacy. Don't want google to track everywhere I go and everything I do.

Any recommendations for good cheap hardware with bootloader unlocking, and recommendations for a good Android ROM?

Remove all future 'use your google account to sign into [this site]' popups from your web-browsing experience

Link to Mastodon post: https://mas.to/@markwyner/114941092519598133
Credit: https://mas.to/@markwyner

So trying to get rid of all the g00gle I can. Realized the Samsung calendar is unfortunately really good with nice features. But I am sure it's not private at all. Any good recommendations ? I share calendars with others too which may be an issue.

cross-posted from: https://rss.ponder.cat/post/221713

Born out of governance concerns in Organic Maps, CoMaps has been created with a goal of restoring transparency, community control, and privacy-focused navigation. It’s a fully open source navigation app that works offline and doesn’t track users.

A few weeks after the project began, CoMaps has officially launched with apps for both Android and iOS. Join me as I take you through its key features and what makes it stand out.

CoMaps: What to Expect?

A screenshot of CoMaps showing the Wikipedia entry of a location for additional information.

We begin with its most handy feature, offline navigation and search. With CoMaps, you can download entire regions before you begin a trip for easy navigation in places without an internet connection or mobile network connectivity.

The user interface is clean and intuitive. You won’t need a manual to figure it out. Whether you're a daily commuter or a weekend hiker, everything is simple, fast, and clear.

Moreover, privacy is baked into the app. CoMaps doesn’t track you, collect data, or run background analytics. You are responsible for what you share, and your location stays on your device.

Before you ask, what makes this different from Organic Maps?

CoMaps can remember your navigation routes as tracks, making it easy to revisit past trips or explore alternate routes. It also includes a re-mappable action button (just below the search bar), letting you customize it for quick access to your favorite function.

The map style itself is another highlight; it feels fresh, modern, and thoughtfully designed without being cluttered. Roads, paths, and terrain are clearly differentiated, making it easier to plan routes at a glance.

Bonus Tip: You can pair the default map view with the "Outdoors" map style to highlight more navigation routes. It’s a small change that makes a big difference when exploring.

Get CoMaps

The latest builds of CoMaps are available on F-Droid and the Play Store for Android users, and on the App Store for iOS.

If you’re looking for APK files or want to explore the source code, then you should visit the project’s Codeberg repository.

CoMaps

Suggested Read 📖

Organic Maps Forked Over Governance Concerns: CoMaps is BornAn Organic Maps fork has emerged due to broken trust.It's FOSS NewsSourav Rudra

From It's FOSS News via this RSS feed

cross-posted from: https://rss.ponder.cat/post/216876

In a world full of Android smartphones, de-Googled phones remain a rare breed, with most major brands having little incentive to break free from the Google ecosystem. This leaves privacy-conscious users with few out-of-the-box options.

As a result, they often have to take the DIY route, unlocking bootloaders, flashing custom ROMs like GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, etc. Still, between compatibility issues, limited device support, and the complexity of flashing ROMs, the demand for de-Googled phones is growing.

That’s where niche players like Murena step in, who offers sustainable smartphones in collaboration with Fairphone with their own in-house developed, Android-based /e/OS.

Now, they’ve launched a brand-new device to match their growing software ecosystem.

📝 Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6): Key Specifications

I think the color options are pretty well done.

Based on Fairphone (Gen. 6), the Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6) is a device designed with longevity and sustainability at its core. It features a modular design with 12 user-replaceable parts, including the display, cameras, USB-C port, and even the battery—all swappable with just a standard screwdriver.

Under the hood, it’s powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, paired with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage, which is expandable via microSD up to 2 TB (SDXC).

Running on the latest /e/OS 3.0, the phone comes with a strong commitment to longevity, promising five years of software updates and security patches, ensuring that these devices remain secure, functional, and relevant for years to come.

Other notable features include:

Display: 6.31″ Full HD+ LTPO OLED (protected by Gorilla Glass 7i)Camera: 50 MP and 13 MP rear, 32 MP frontBattery: 4,415 mAh removable Li-ionNetwork Connectivity: 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G (dual-sim)Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)Bluetooth: 5.4 + LENFC: Yes

I must say, Murena has been on a roll lately. The launch of /e/OS 3.0 marked a major milestone for them, bringing improved parental controls, new privacy tools, and a range of usability enhancements. Around the same time, they also introduced Murena Find, a privacy-focused search engine that now comes as the default on all Murena devices.

🛒 Getting the Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6)

Priced at €649 (excl shipping), the Murena Fairphone Gen 6 is available in three colors: Forest Green, White, and Black. You can purchase it from the official website, but note that shipping is currently limited to select countries—with the U.S. being the most recent addition.

The phone comes with a standard 2-year warranty, but you can extend this by an additional 3 years for a total of 5 years by registering your device on Fairphone's website.

Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6)

From It's FOSS News via this RSS feed

FreeTube is an open-source standalone YouTube client that gives you control over what to see and what not to see on YouTube. Among my my favourite features are:

• No Ads
• Checkboxes to eliminate common distractions, e.g. Shorts, Trends, Live chat, Recommendations, Comments
• Word filters and channel filters
• Integrated SponsorBlock and DeArrow
• History and subscriptions are saved locally, away from Google's prying eyes
• Easy download of videos, e.g. for securing videos or re-uploading them to a PeerTube instance (of course, only if it's legal in your jurisdiction)

If you're a parent, know that FreeTube also has several child safety features.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/66561410

!peertube@lemmy.wtf

Use !peertube@lemmy.wtf instead!