@tricethetraveller @futurebird The reason GoS uses Pixel devices is because Pixel's hardware security rivels Apple's and they are one of the few phones that allows you to relock the boorloader after flashing alt. Operating systems, improving its security, unlike other Android forks like LineageOS.

@geliga @futurebird I have GrapheneOS installed and doesn't require a Google account.

@weirdfish @futurebird @GinevraCat I can use this for websites too?

@futurebird @Elischeva91

Other. I have Google accounts to participate in places where the knowledge share is a Google Drive. I'm sure they all have Gmail, but I don't actually use Gmail.

@geliga
> to people answer "I have no google accounts", what's your phone? An iPhone?

nope
an android without installing google mail or play store but installing #fDroid.
You can accept android TOS and than skip the rest.

@futurebird

@futurebird

I'd love to replace Gmail, but I simply don't see any viable alternative.

Not only is there no other free service that looks like they'll stay around, but I believe a Google account is *required* to use the "Play" store to install software on Android.

And a smart phone is a requirement to participate in the modern world. I work as a dishwasher, for instance, and must clock in and out with an "app".

I couldn't have my job without a Gmail address (or Apple equivalent maybe).

@privacy_guru Yes! For a very small subscription. The free offering is more than sufficient for casual use. I have been using it first years. @weirdfish @futurebird

@mensrea @futurebird

Same here. It's basically become my digital identity and the prospect of migrating off of it gives me unpleasant shudders.

@futurebird

i have a Google account because i own an Android phone, but i have all of the privacy options possible enabled, i use DuckDuckGo for my search engine, i never log in to the google account on my computers, i do not use gmail. Except for the bare minimum required to keep my phone operational i avoid google as much as is possible. (And for those now thinking about it, i have reasons for not doing business with Apple, too, so please don't suggest i get an iPhone.)

@GinevraCat @weirdfish @futurebird I went to the DeepL website and plugged in an address but it didn't open a translated page. Unless you need to copy/paste the text into their service.

@futurebird only have an account cuz folks use google meet.

@futurebird I have a Google account for work. I use Google search without AI as a last resort, my default search engine these days is Ecosia. I do watch YouTube videos (without an account, with an ad blocker and reject all cookies).

@futurebird I have a Google account for YouTube, that actually existed before the link was made and was just a YouTube account when I made it, but apart from that, and YouTube Music through a frontend app, and Google Maps, I don't use anything else Google related

@roknrol @futurebird Huh. I haven't run into those yet. I just assumed FreeTube was working around them, but I try to stay away from news and politics on YT so maybe that's it.

@futurebird I have grapheneOS and use proton for email and cloud storage. I have a legacy gmal account but rarely log in. Just to check anything old that came in.

I try to use organic maps as much as I can but google maps traffic is too valuable sometimes so I often eject to my "google" profile for that.

I still watch YouTube but am trying to take my usage down and rotate through smaller services like curiosity, floatplane, etc

@Linebyline Usually it's music videos and a few videos by Simon Whistler (one of the more recent vids was an expose on a particular criminal gang).

It's not stuff that I miss too much, but it is annoying when it shows up in my feed.

@futurebird

@privacy_guru @GinevraCat @futurebird true, it's only copy and paste

@moriel @futurebird This is me exactly - thanks for saving me so much typing!

@futurebird I've gone the other way. I have chosen to allow exactly one evil corporation to spy on me, so I'm letting Google have it all and I'm avoiding Facebook/Meta, Twitter/X, Apple, Amazon/everything else.