Alternative Applets Wanted.

[wm460]

I am looking for advice on alternatives to the following applets, I am trying to avoid anything that is connected to microtwats and google and their spyware.

youtube,

skype
In the software Manager there is skype does that mean that microtwats can not track me

teams

ebay

paypal

 

[Condobloke]

Skype....either Telegram or Signal ....both in Software Manager

Ebay.....no idea
Paypal..."" "

Teams is in Software manager....but you have to sign into m'doft....so that's a no

youtube......there are a couple...I forget their name.....someone here will remember
I still use youtube......but I NEVER sign in. Google is forever complaining that cookies are blocked on my browser, so I have to be doing something right. (I use brave browser)

 

[wizardfromoz]

I am supposed to caution you, Mark, about paying out on "that OS", but when I read what you called it I almost peed myself laughing. Go easy on an old bloke with an aging bladder.

There is also Zoom available in Software Manager.

Brian ^^^ and I tried Skyping maybe 3 years or more ago, fricking hilarious, I could hear him, but I could not get my sound configured properly, so I was just waving and signing.

For Teams there is this

https://www.tecmint.com/microsoft-teams-alternatives/

Wiz

 

[gvisoc]

I used skype with my family quite often until a few weeks ago that I convinced my parents that using the phone was more practical than sitting down in front of their desktop computer. It works OK, audio and video and all, well, for being Skype.

 

[kc1di]

I use zoom here on occasion, seems to work Ok for me. Haven't used skype in years so can't really comment on that.

 

[new_vintage]

I am trying to avoid anything that is connected to microtwats and google and their spyware.

youtube,

skype
In the software Manager there is skype does that mean that microtwats can not track me

Skype is a division of Microsoft. I would forget about not being tracked. It is guaranteed.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

youtube

Top 2 YT alternatives are rumble and odysee,
Difference between the 2 is that rumble has rich backers and is receiving more financial support than odysee, on another side odysee is decentralized and you can find a lot of political videos, especially those who are oppressed and censured.

 

[wm460]

I had a bit of a shock yesterday when I looked in the settings of youtube, in one section they had a profile on me of things that I have never told youtube. I was so shocked that I immediately log out, should have taken a photo.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

I had a bit of a shock yesterday when I looked in the settings of youtube, in one section they had a profile on me of things that I have never told youtube. I was so shocked that I immediately log out, should have taken a photo.

I never log-in to YT, and YT history is disabled.

But they build your profile even if you don't login, by harvesting your unique hardware ID's and fingerprinting.
google and MS have no honor, they should be put on a shame list somewhere online.

 

[wm460]

I never log-in to YT, and YT history is disabled.

But they build your profile even if you don't login, by harvesting your unique hardware ID's and fingerprinting.
google and MS have no honor, they should be put on a shame list somewhere online.

Would a VPN stop this?

Is there any way of deleting or reducing your digital footprint?

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Would a VPN stop this?

No it won't because browser fingerprinting will still work.

Is there any way of deleting or reducing your digital footprint?

NoScript to block hostile domains and uBlock to block trackers.
Additionally CAD to auto-remove cookies.

But this is still far from enough, you can try browse YT with Tor browser to prevent fingerprinting but not sure browsing will work.

 

[Condobloke]

It is well worth while looking for the privacy settings for google..It is a longish process wading through them all and quite often it will divert you top another page to get to the setting which you want to see.

This has the effect of causing you to lose track of where you are up to....where you have been....which settings you have seen and which ones you haven't....etc
That is part of the reason that I have two screens/monitors. I can open the pages on the monitor I am on....and then move that page to the second monitor.
It all takes a bit of organising, but well worth it in the end.

Using brave browser, I am the stage now where google will not log me in....because I have cookies disabled on that browser.
Suits me right dowjn to the ground. The settings on brave took some fooling around with until I achieved that too.

 

[Condobloke]

Device fingerprinting: is it dangerous?

5 Expert ways to help conceal your digital fingerprint online! How to stay truly private, and secure yourself from data theft.

nordvpn.com

Tech Friend: Can VPN Prevent Browser Fingerprinting? | ExpressVPN Blog

What is browser fingerprinting, and find out how it differs from tracking methods like cookies, IP addresses, and device fingerprinting.

www.expressvpn.com

Interestingly, I do not get ads anywhere I go....and that includes on youtube, and google maps

 

[CaffeineAddict]

It is well worth while looking for the privacy settings for google

This is not bad idea at all, but useful only if you login to google, even though google is hostile you can adjust some settings to opt out from this or that.
But if you don't login these settings are useless, they'll profile you and settings are ignored.

 

[wm460]

Additionally CAD to auto-remove cookies.

Downloaded this, in the short time using I am amazed how many cookies it deleted.

 

[wm460]

NoScript to block hostile domains and uBlock to block trackers.

I tried NoScript but it disabled JavaScript any to white list it?

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Downloaded this, in the short time using I am amazed how many cookies it deleted.

Make sure you whitelist sites to which you want to stay logged in or want to keep site preferences, ex. this forums.

I tried NoScript but it disabled JavaScript any to white list it?

NoScript is the most difficult to set up, you need to handle every site 3rd party domain separately.
It's never ending process of managing domains, I suggest you to first understand it's options in detail, see link below:

Usage - NoScript: Own Your Browser!

The NoScript Security Suite is Free Software protecting Firefox (on Android, too!), Chrome, Edge, Brave and other web browsers. Install NoScript now!

noscript.net

Once you grasp how it works, start whitelisting top domain which you regularly visit.
Almost every site when visited connects to 3rd party domain, you might want to white list some that are essential but not all, it takes practice to tell which domains to whitelist and which not.

 

[wm460]

It is well worth while looking for the privacy settings for google..It is a longish process wading through them all and quite often it will divert you top another page to get to the setting which you want to see.

This has the effect of causing you to lose track of where you are up to....where you have been....which settings you have seen and which ones you haven't....etc
That is part of the reason that I have two screens/monitors. I can open the pages on the monitor I am on....and then move that page to the second monitor.
It all takes a bit of organising, but well worth it in the end.

Using brave browser, I am the stage now where google will not log me in....because I have cookies disabled on that browser.
Suits me right dowjn to the ground. The settings on brave took some fooling around with until I achieved that too.

Which is better Brave or Duck Duck Go?
On Linux what do you say instead of google?
Will give the privacy settings on google a go once I any set up here, mean while avoid the evil 2 on Linux computer, use phone for that.

 

[Condobloke]

Brave is a browser,,,,Duckduckgo is a search engine that you can use instead of google in any browser....Brave Firefox etc etc

I use brave browser and the search engine in brave is DDG. I have set it as the default search engine.