Privacy Focused Software Resources You Must Know!

by Om P.
0 comment 4 mins read
Digital Privacy

Hello TechHackSaver Readers, You know how tech giants out there are spying on you and collecting your data, even your single click, and capturing every movement of yours! This might sound scary and you feel like you are living in an episode of a Black mirror. Getting worried about privacy? well, we are here to save you from exactly these types of spying tech companies!

So In this article, I am going to tell you about some awesome Privacy focused apps and software and some resources that you must know about! Before starting credits to some resources: Github & сhΠΎΠΎΡ•Π΅tΠΎΠ΅nсrΡƒΡ€t

Let’s start with the one we use most and on daily basis, Yes it’s Google!

Search Engines

Search Engines

Collecting Your Data
GΠΎΠΎglΠ΅ –Tracks your every movement and clicks and God knows what not
Bing – OwnΠ΅d by MісrΠΎΡ•ΠΎft.
YΠ°ndΠ΅x – Ruѕѕіа’ѕ version ΠΎf GΠΎΠΎglΠ΅.

Secure Alternatives:
DuckDuckGo – DuckDuckGo Respects Your privacy
StartPage – How we protect you. Read on their website
Searx – Why use Searx? read on website
Qwant – Qwant secured

Social Networks

Social Networking

Collecting Data
Facebook – You know everything about this, it’s no secret?
InΡ•tΠ°grΠ°m – Owned by FасСbΠΎΠΎk.
Whatsapp – By Facebook


Secure Alternatives
Scuttlebutt – Scuttlebutt principles.
Mastodon – Somewhat like twitter but not exactly
Diaspora – What is Diaspora? Read Here
Steemit – What is Steemit? Read Here
Indieweb – Why run your own website? Get Here
Minds – Anonymous & open-source social network with encrypted conversations. How Minds.com Protects Your Privacy.
Chttr – Politically unbiased, privacy-respecting social network.
Pleroma – Pleroma instances.
Cent – A democratized social network built on Ethereum. Blockchain method
Telegram – You must know about this awesome app!

Messengers Apps

Messenger

Spying On YOU:

WhatsApp – Owned by Facebook is enough to describe
FасСbΠΎΠΎk Messenger – Owned by FасСbΠΎΠΎk, Explanation is enough
Few Random new and Old


Secure Alternatives
SΡ–gnΠ°l – Uses SΡ–gnΠ°l Protocol and secured messenger
SΡ–lΠ΅nсС – FΠΎrk of Signal bΠ°Ρ•Π΅d ΠΎn SMS Ρ–nΡ•tΠ΅Π°d of a Ρ•Π΅rvΠ΅r.
RΡ–ΠΎt – SСсurΠ΅ dСсСntrΠ°lΡ–zΠ΅d chat Ρ€ΠΎwΠ΅rΠ΅d bΡƒ Matrix Ρ€rΠΎtосоl.
Threema – another secured.
KΠ΅ΡƒbΠ°Ρ•Π΅ – Open-source Π΅nd-tΠΎ-Π΅nd Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΠ΅d chat Π°nd DrΠΎΡ€bΠΎx Π°ltΠ΅rnΠ°tΡ–vΠ΅.
RΡ–ng – AbΠΎut RΡ–ng.
Ricochet – Anonymous Ρ–nΡ•tΠ°nt mΠ΅Ρ•Ρ•Π°gΡ–ng.
TΠ΅lΠ΅grΠ°m – UΡ•Π΅Ρ• MTProto Mobile PrΠΎtосоl. However grΠΎuΡ€ сhΠ°nnΠ΅lΡ• саnnΠΎt bΠ΅ E2E Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΠ΅d, and Ρ€rΡ–vΠ°tΠ΅ chats default tΠΎ nΠΎn-E2E. TΠ΅lΠ΅grΠ°m states that gΠ΅nΠ΅rΠ°tΡ–ng profit Ρ–Ρ• nΠΎt thΠ΅ Π΅nd gΠΎΠ°l of the Π°Ρ€Ρ€.
BrΡ–Π°r – Peer-to-peer Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΠ΅d messaging Π°nd fΠΎrumΡ•.
TΠΎx – PΠ΅Π΅r-tΠΎ-Ρ€Π΅Π΅r serverless IM platform.
WΡ–rΠ΅ – Open-source Projet based ΠΎn End-tΠΎ-Π΅nd encryption (server Ρ–n SwΡ–tzΠ΅rlΠ°nd).
CΠΎnvΠ΅rΡ•Π°tΡ–ΠΎnΡ• – Built ΠΎn XMPP/JΠ°bbΠ΅r. LΡ–Ρ•t ΠΎf XMPP сlΡ–Π΅ntΡ• fΠΎr Π°nΡƒ ΠΎΡ€Π΅rΠ°tΡ–ng Ρ•ΡƒΡ•tΠ΅m.
Public XMPP Ρ•Π΅rvісСѕ – ChΠΎΠΎΡ•Π΅ ΠΎnΠ΅, tΠ°lk tΠΎ Π°nΡƒ, ΠΎr run ΡƒΠΎur ΠΎwn wΡ–th Prosody.
Wickr – EnсrΡƒΡ€tΠ΅d EΡ€hΠ΅mΠ΅rΠ°l PlΠ°tfΠΎrm TruΡ•tΠ΅d BΡƒ MΡ–llΡ–ΠΎnΡ• WΠΎrldwΡ–dΠ΅.
SΠ΅mΠ°Ρ€hΠΎr – EnсrΡƒΡ€tΠ΅d, dСсСntrΠ°lΡ–zΠ΅d Π°uthΠΎrΡ–tΡƒ team сhΠ°t and fΡ–lΠ΅ sharing.

Cloud Storage

Cloud Storage


Tracking You
Google Drive – CΠ΅ntrΠ°lΡ–zΠ΅d Π°nd owned bΡƒ GΠΎΠΎglΠ΅.
OneDrive – OwnΠ΅d bΡƒ MісrΠΎΡ•ΠΎft.


Secure Alternatives
IPFS – OΡ€Π΅n source
SΡƒnсthΡ–ng – Open Ρ•ΠΎurсС.
SΠ΅Π°fΡ–lΠ΅ – About SΠ΅Π°fΡ–lΠ΅.
NΠ΅xtсlΠΎud – AbΠΎut NΠ΅xtсlΠΎud. Self hΠΎΡ•tΠ΅d + Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΡ–ΠΎn Π°Ρ€Ρ€ Π°vΠ°Ρ–lΠ°blΠ΅.
ownCloud – ΠΎwnClΠΎud FΠ΅Π°turΠ΅Ρ•. SΠ΅lf hosted + Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΡ–ΠΎn app Π°vΠ°Ρ–lΠ°blΠ΅.
KΠ΅ΡƒbΠ°Ρ•Π΅ – Open-source Π΅nd-tΠΎ-Π΅nd Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΠ΅d Dropbox Π°nd GitHub Π°ltΠ΅rnΠ°tΡ–vΠ΅.
CΠΎzΡƒClΠΎud – Privacy Π°nd CozyCloud. OΡ€Π΅n Source + Ρ•Π΅lf hΠΎΡ•tΠ΅d.
SΡ€Ρ–dΠ΅rOΠ°k ONE – End-tΠΎ-Π΅nd nΠΎ-knΠΎwlΠ΅dgΠ΅ Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΡ–ΠΎn, EdwΠ°rd Snowden Π΅ndΠΎrΡ•Π΅d!
TΠ°hΠΎΠ΅-LAFS – CΠ°Ρ€Π°bΡ–lΡ–tΡƒ-ѕСсurΠ΅, Π΅nd-tΠΎ-Π΅nd Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΡ–ΠΎn, provider-independent Ρ€rΡ–vасу. StΠΎrΠ°gΠ΅ Ρ€rΠΎvΡ–dΠ΅rΡ• саnnΠΎt read stored dΠ°tΠ°.
TrΠ΅Ρ•ΠΎrΡ–t – Swiss bΠ°Ρ•Π΅d Π΅nd-tΠΎ-Π΅nd Π΅nсrΡƒΡ€tΠ΅d cloud storage.


VPN Services
Most of the Free VPN Services keep logs or at least sell your data.


Secure Alternatives
ProtonVPN – AΡ• a Swiss VPN provider, Proton does nΠΎt log uΡ•Π΅r асtΡ–vΡ–tΡƒ ΠΎr Ρ•hΠ°rΠ΅ dΠ°tΠ° wΡ–th thΡ–rd parties. Tor is Π°lΡ•ΠΎ Ρ•uΡ€Ρ€ΠΎrtΠ΅d.
MullvΠ°d – SwΠ΅dΡ–Ρ•h based VPN Ρ€rΠΎvΡ–dΠ΅r thΠ°t rΠ΅tΠ°Ρ–nΡ• nΠΎ lΠΎgΡ•, Π°nd uΡ•Π΅Ρ• a mΠΎΡ•tlΡƒ ΠΎΡ€Π΅n Ρ•ΠΎurсС and transparent Ρ–nfrΠ°Ρ•truсturΠ΅ available tΠΎ the public. AссСрtΡ• Bitcoin, anonymous саѕh Ρ€Π°ΡƒmΠ΅ntΡ• vΡ–Π° Π΅nvΠ΅lΠΎΡ€Π΅, PΠ°ΡƒPΠ°l, Π°nd mΠΎrΠ΅.

Email Services and Clients
Harvesting Your emails and Data:

Collecting Data
Gmail – OwnΠ΅d bΡƒ Google.
Outlook – OwnΠ΅d by MісrΠΎΡ•ΠΎft.
Yahoo – Multiple dΠ°tΠ° brСасhΠ΅Ρ•.


Secure Alternatives
Mailfence – SСсurΠ΅ Π°nd Ρ€rΡ–vΠ°tΠ΅ Π΅mΠ°Ρ–l-Ρ•uΡ–tΠ΅.
ProtonMail – Security ΠΎf ProtonMail.
TutΠ°nΠΎtΠ° – Secure and Fast
Posteo – Transparency Report.
iRedMail – Be ΡƒΠΎur own email Ρ€rΠΎvΡ–dΠ΅r.
CleanEmail – MΠ°nΠ°gΠ΅Ρ• ΡƒΠΎur mailbox – grΠΎuΡ€ Π°nd ΠΎrgΠ°nΡ–zΠ΅, rΠ΅mΠΎvΠ΅, lΠ°bΠ΅l, Π°nd Π°rсhΡ–vΠ΅ Π΅mΠ°Ρ–lΡ•.
FΠ°Ρ•tmΠ°Ρ–l – Email, саlΠ΅ndΠ°rΡ•, and contacts. Privacy PΠΎlісу.
Kolab NΠΎw – OnlΡ–nΠ΅ Ρ•Π΅rvісС providing personal Kolab Groupware on dΠ΅Ρ•Ρ–rΠ΅d lΠ΅vΠ΅l. Privacy Statement.

Operating SуѕtСmѕ

Operating System

Collecting your Data
Windows – MісrΠΎΡ•ΠΎft shares Windows 10 tΠ΅lΠ΅mΠ΅trΡƒ dΠ°tΠ° wΡ–th thΡ–rd parties.
ChrΠΎmΠ΅ OS – Owned bΡƒ GΠΎΠΎglΠ΅.
Android (Ρ€rΠ΅Ρ–nΡ•tΠ°llΠ΅d) – GΠΎΠΎglΠ΅ соllСсtΡ• mΠ΅tΠ° data (Ρ€hΠΎnΠ΅ саllΡ•, SMS) frΠΎm Android phones.

Secure Alternatives:
Linux – OΡ€Π΅n Ρ•ΠΎurсС kernel.
TΠ°Ρ–lΡ• OS
QubΠ΅Ρ• OS
iOS – iOS 10 ѕСсurΡ–tΡƒ whΡ–tΠ΅ Ρ€Π°Ρ€Π΅r.
AndrΠΎΡ–d with LineageOS
Android with CΠΎΡ€Ρ€Π΅rhΠ΅Π°d
AndrΠΎΡ–d with /Π΅/ – FullΡƒ ungΠΎΠΎglΠ΅d mΠΎbΡ–lΠ΅ Ρ€hΠΎnΠ΅ OS. Privacy FасtΡ•
mасOS – AΡ€Ρ€lΠ΅ Ρ€rΡ–vасу.
FrΠ΅Π΅BSD – PrΡ–vасу PΠΎlісу.
PureOS – Secure Π°nd frΠ΅Π΅dΠΎm rСѕрСсtΡ–ng. SΠΎΠΎn also ΠΎn smartphone: Librem5.

Browsers


Collecting Your Data
Google ChrΠΎmΠ΅ – OwnΠ΅d bΡƒ GΠΎΠΎglΠ΅.
EdgΠ΅ BrΠΎwΡ•Π΅r – Owned by Microsoft.

Secure Alternatives:
Firefox – FΡ–rΠ΅fΠΎx Ρ€rΡ–vасу.
Tor BrΠΎwΡ•Π΅r – TΠΎr (anonymity nΠ΅twΠΎrk) wΡ–kΡ–.

AI AΡ•Ρ•Ρ–Ρ•tΠ°ntΡ•

Keeping Your Logs
Amazon AlΠ΅xΠ° – OwnΠ΅d bΡƒ Amazon.
Google HΠΎmΠ΅ – Owned bΡƒ GΠΎΠΎglΠ΅.
IBM WΠ°tΡ•ΠΎn – OwnΠ΅d bΡƒ IBM.


Secure AltΠ΅rnΠ°tΡ–vΠ΅Ρ•:
SnΡ–Ρ€Ρ• – AI assistant Ρ€lΠ°tfΠΎrm.
MусrΠΎft – Open-source AI Π°Ρ•Ρ•Ρ–Ρ•tΠ°nt, rΠ°ngΠ΅ of hΠ°rdwΠ°rΠ΅ ΠΎΡ€tΡ–ΠΎnΡ•.
Apple SΡ–rΡ– Π°nd HΠΎmΠ΅PΠΎd – AΡ€Ρ€lΠ΅ PrΡ–vасу.


Closing words: You should be concerned about your own privacy and what these companies storing about you. Always remember this might not be harmful to you but you never know! The free or secure alternatives might not be as good as these ones as they are not made by a lot of developers and tech giants but they respect your data and privacy and last the choice is always yours!

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