In our increasingly tech-centered world, there are more and more opportunities for tech companies to spy on us, and use our data without our knowledge. Therefore, it's our responsibility to take control of the personal information we share…as much as possible.
Think about it for a second…
Most people carry their phones everywhere and their phones can potentially record everything they do. I'm not saying that they do, but the potential is certainly there.
All it takes is one shady company to record your every move.
Think about how many apps you have on your phone. Your risk is multiplied with every new app your add.
This is not paranoid hysteria either.
It's a well-known fact that Google Android phones send a ton of information in the background, even when you aren't using the phone. For example, Android has been shown to send your location, even if you aren't using an app or you opted out of location tracking.
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So in order to keep potential spying to a minimum, while still having the convenience of a smartphone, a deGoogled or unGoogled phone is a great option.
This video will show you how they work and their benefits and limitations. If you prefer the text version, it's provided below the video.
What's a deGoogled Phone?
A deGoogled phone is an Android phone that uses the open source version of Android and does not require you to login to your Google account to use it.
Google can store a ton of information in your Google account because many people use Google services.
They can track things like:
- Your location and movement history
- Your search history
- The apps you use
- Your health data
- Your messages
- Your emails
- And more
Therefore, if you aren't sending data to Google all day (every day) it's much less likely that your personal information will get stored somewhere without your knowledge.
How Does a deGoogled Phone Work?
The Google version of Android relies on an app called Google Play Services (GPS). This app updates the Google servers with data like your contact list, your location and your search history.
So if you want to take back your privacy, you should get rid of GPS.
But here's the catch…
Most apps require GPS to work, not just Google apps. Luckily, there are 2 solutions to make Android usable without GPS.
The Different Flavors of deGoogled Android
There are basically 2 types of deGoogled Android devices:
- Don't use GPS at all
- Use a substitute for GPS
Let's take a look at what this means in everyday use.
What are the Benefits of a deGoogled Phone?
A version of Android that doesn't use GPS is very secure because most of your personal data stays on your phone.
If a phone uses a GPS substitute, you can use almost all apps from the Google Play Store.
What are the Downsides of a deGoogled Phone?
The biggest downside of these open source Android OSs is that you cannot use apps that require a subscription through the Google Play Store.
However, if your version of deGoogled Android uses a GPS substitute, you can use most of the free apps that are available on the Play Store. You just have to download them from a third party store like F-Droid or Aurora Store.
If your version of deGoogled Android doesn't use a GPS substitute, then you have a lot fewer apps to choose from. This is unacceptable to most people, but it does give you the highest level of privacy.
Finally, these operating systems do take a bit of technical know-how to install and setup, so that can be a downside too. But once they are running, they are 95% like using regular Android.
deGoogled Android Projects
To get started with deGoogled Android phones, visit these websites. They will show you how to install a deGoogled version of Android and some even have pre-installed deGoogled phones for sale.
Do some research on them and pick the one that you like best. Each one has its benefits and limitations.
There are other projects out there, but these are the most stable and widely used versions.
If you're wondering which ones are best, read this review.
Conclusion
Using a deGoogled phone will help you maintain your privacy and prevent your data from ending up on Google's servers, without your knowledge.
If there are subscription apps that you absolutely want to have, then one trick is to buy a second phone with a standard Google Android or Apple iOS operating system and use that phone to host your subscription apps.
The beauty of having a second phone is that you can leave it at home whenever you want. Your primary deGoogled phone can have the basic apps on it (maps, phone, text, camera and browser), along with your SIM card, and your second phone can host all of the apps that track you.
A second phone can be very inexpensive if you buy it used on eBay. It doesn't have to be fancy, just enough to run the apps you want.
To your freedom!
