Y’all are seriously still using the internet?

I believe Librewolf and Mullvad Browser change your timezone, either to UTC or to Atlantic/Reyjavik (for some reason; probably a bug on my end). Tor Browser likely does the same, but I’m not sure.

I’ll probably switch to LineageOS and harden it myself if GOS starts floundering, but that would be purely to get my money’s worth out of the hardware.

After that, I’d go for my alternative setup of dumb-ish phone + laptop + refurbished iPod.

Fairphones and TeraCubes are ethical hardware. Fairtrade, repairable, and possibly open-source (I’ll have to double-check that).

GrapheneOS is customisable, yes, but LineageOS is moreso.

Magisk is a tool used to root Android devices (essentially adding an su binary to give the user root access). However, this makes the system inherently less secure, and undermines the whole point of GrapheneOS.

The only real downsides of GOS are that it only supports Pixels, and that it doesn’t support microG (I can see the appeal of Sandboxed Play Services, but I would personally have preferred microG).

• Privacy: GrapheneOS
• Security: GrapheneOS
• Customisability: LineageOS
• Functionality: (Subjective)

I would only recommend three groups of devices:

• Pixels
• Fairphones
• TeraCubes

Will this affect Matrix? I use g24.at as my homeserver.

Sorta. It’s the same engine, but it is generally less private and less secure than actual Chromium.

DivestOS used to have some handy tables, before they shut down the website.

Huh, I didn’t know that. I wonder if any of the rest have implemented that since…

See also:

Firefox-based

• Tor Browser
• IceRaven

Chromium-based

• Brave (controversial)
• Vanadium (GrapheneOS-only)
• Cromite

WebView-based

• DuckDuckGo
• Privacy Browser
• FOSS Browser

• uBlock Origin
• NoScript
• JShelter
• CSS Exfil Protection
• Libredirect
• Indie Wiki Buddy

I also sometimes use the IceCat extensions, too:

• LibreJS
• LibrifyJS
• Reveal hidden HTML
• Searxes’ Third-party Request blocker
• Workarounds for nonfree JS

Matrix is the only one I actually use other than the rest.

There is also XMPP, SimpleX, Threema, Briar, cwtch, Tox, and Delta Chat.

Transcribro is pretty good, and available on Accrescent, but only for English (and American spelling only, at that).

According to the tests I’ve run, IronFox, Brave, and Tor Browser are the only options (in my opinion).

Cromite also works, as does Vanadium, but they’re… basic, and the fingerprinting resistance could be better.

I use SearXNG. I would highly recommend.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure System1 divested themselves of it.

They still own Startpage and Startmail, though.

• Yewtube is hosted by unixfox, who also happens to be one of the main developers behind Invidious.
• I’ve talked to the person behind Nadeko on Matrix., and they seem nice.
• Not sure about the rest, but a poison Invidious instance is unheard of. Still, doesn’t hurt to ask questions like this once in a while!

ffs. Guess I’d better move everything off and close my account, then.

KTrip’s not bad.

When did they stop being Kiwi?

Posteo is probably what you’re after. Only €1 per month!

There are also:

• Nebula
• Floatplane
• media.ccc.de

Thanks, but I’ll pass. Currently, it’s just a random house; but if I blurred it, it would stick out like a sore thumb and possibly attract attention.

Ah, I stand corrected.

• DAITA adds noise to your traffic, in order to prrvent AI packet analysis. However, most people don’t need this, and it limits your server options as well as increasing your bandwidth usage. Leave it off unless you need it.
• Multihop routes your traffic through two Mullvad servers, in order to further obscure your IP address. Turn it on for added privacy, unless you have problems as a result.
• Local network sharing means you can still connect to devices on your home network while using Mullvad VPN. This includes things like networked printers, network attached storage, and the web interface on your router. Turn on unless you’re sure you don’t need it.
• API access just checks to make sure you can connect to Mullvad at all. The API is what gives you the list of servers and provides your computer with the connection info. Have a look if you’re interested, but you shouldn’t need to change anything.
  • If you are on a hostile network, this part of the settings also lets you enable bridges, which can help to circumvent local VPN blocks.

Oh, I thought they meant firmware.

LineageOS or /e/OS would be my picks. Graphene and Calyx are better, but likely don’t support the device in question.

RIP DivestOS.

Because Google are dicks.

Well, this wouldn’t be my main email; it would be just for the site. Thank you so much!

Posteo ftw!

Sounds like a good time to mention that “Little Brother” by Cory Doctorow is available in GNU Info format (usually used for manpages).

I think this might be what you’re looking for: https://github.com/seemoo-lab/AirGuard

I got my Grandma to switch to DDG after she saw an advert for it on TV.

My Gran, meanwhile, didn’t need convincing. She uses Ecosia, because she likes the whole reforestation thing they’re doing.

Yeah, I have my own SearXNG too, albeit hosted on a VPS. However, the difficulty I was talking about was in convincing other people to switch.

Yeah, that sounds like she clicked an ad. Personally, I’d recommend switching to Startpage, Whoogle, or SearXNG; but I understand that might be easier said than done.

Also, if OP is using Android but not Firefox:

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/app.fedilab.nitterizeme

And if OP is using iOS:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/userscripts/id1463298887

https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/437291-open-source-alternative-redirector

Use redlib.

Slightly moreso than YouTube, but you should really use Librarian or the LBRY app.

Also, be warned that Odysee is alt-tech.

• I used to have an Xperia SP. One day, I decided to swap out all of the AOSP apps that came preinstalled for Google’s own offerings.
• I also used to use Yandex as my main search engine. I thought it was better than DuckDuckGo…
• I also used to use Yandex.Browser, Yandex.Mail, and Yandex.Disk. I’m also not sure I deleted my account…
• Just three years ago, I was using Opera. I had no idea it had become a Chinese Chromium fork. I also used to use Maxthon, on occasion.
• I used to use Opera VPN.
• When I was about 7, I ended up with a bunch of malware on my laptop (turns out McAfee is shit). I recently discovered that my IP range briefly ended up on some blacklist around that time, so I assume I had become part of a botnet.
• Around this time, I used Hola VPN.
• Until fairly recently, I had multiple ad and tracker blockers installed at the same time. This is obviously overkill, and increases your fingerprintability.
• I also used to manually change my user agent to Chrome on Windows 10, despite the fact I was using Firefox on Linux. The mismatch also made me more fingerprintable.
• I used to have Do Not Track enabled, which can be used to fingerprint users.
• I used to use my browser fullscreen, meaning my screen resolution could be calculated and used for fingerprinting.
• I used to use Outlook.com as a client for my email, which was privately self-hosted by my dad.

Yeah, I used to be pretty insecure, huh. My privacy journey was quite fast, and began around 2020. My uncle had given me a ThinkPad and a DVD of Linux Mint. I was stuck at home for most of the year, I started watching a lot of sociopolitical comedy videos, and eventually one thing led to another and before you knew it I was wearing the metaphorical tinfoil hat.

Nowadays, I’m doing much better.

Glad I changed my stack over a few months ago:

• Proton Mail → Posteo
• Proton VPN → Mullvad VPN
• Proton Drive → Syncthing

I’d also recommend KeePassXC in place of Proton Pass, and Cake Wallet in place of Proton Wallet. However, these were both Proton services I never used anyway.

Fossify SMS is better, since SimpleMobileTools went proprietary after an aquisition a few years ago.