This was the biggest relief moving away from Google. They were privy to every purchase and transaction I made. Governments of the world should mandate email encryption to keep us safe.
If Google didn’t want to share our information they wouldn’t collect it. Journalists especially shouldn’t trust Google.
The fact anyone is still using a single Google service blows my mind. They are one of the shadiest companies to ever exist in my opinion.
Tough to beat Google Maps for traveling.
This is the only Google service worth using anymore IMO, and I don’t think it will ever be possible to make something even close to competing while open source as the main reason it’s so good is because of their data collection.
Apple Maps is becoming a close second, but again, not open source. I love open source as much as anyone here, but the product has to be good.
I agree. I use CoMaps 95% of the time since my area has good coverage, I prefer the simpler style, and I like to make contributions, but I still have to use GMaps WV sometimes because it just works better.
Maybe I’ll take a look, but when it comes to a vacation, I’d rather use something that works. There has to be a balance between privacy and usability. Too much friction and people will just default to what works. Sadly, it’s Google Maps at the moment.
There was a time before Google Maps, and people took vacations and traveled and had a great time and everything was fine. Our desire (addiction?) for having the utmost convenience and the fastest solution to every issue is why having any privacy in our lives is now very difficult. That’s not gonna change until we learn to sometimes say no to convenience.
pretty sure most people can’t escape YouTube and the play store unfortunately
Lol! I’m actually old enough to remember that era, but convenience matters too!
YouTube yes because viewers won’t use an alternative due to the lack of creators caused by the lack of viewers.
I disagree about the Play Store though because the average person who cares about their privacy can find any app they need apart from social media (which you shouldn’t be using if you care about your privacy) or stuff like banking/payment apps on Fdroid or by using Obtanium. The only app on my phone that is from the Play Store is my banking app, which I technically don’t need because I could use the website.
You pretty much nailed it. It’s very tough to find an alternative to both YouTube and Google Maps. The only other streaming services that I can think of with numbers that can rival YouTube in terms of the number of users are the Chinese services like Douyin and Youku, but they cater to Chinese speakers. People aren’t going to stop using YouTube because all the content is there. If you’re a creator, you go where the viewers are. That’s why ditching YouTube is so hard.
The perfect transition from surveillance capitalism to state surveillance… I can’t believe we allowed this to happen.
I’m not a creator so I’m not sure if this would be a smart move on their part, but I think people who make content on YouTube and would like to switch to a more private/less monopolistic platform but can’t due to a lack of viewers should just double-post on YouTube and those platforms at the same time so that viewers have a choice. And if enough viewers switch over, then they could make the full switch after enough creators start this movement. In order for there to be a change in YouTube’s monopoly, the creators have to take the initiative.
I think you are giving content consumers way too much. The majority of YouTube viewers are not passerby users who view YouTube content because the specific YouTubers they watch are on there. The majority of YouTube viewers are content consumers, which are people who watch any given YouTube channel on their feed because it is engaging and entertaining. They are the modern day equivalent of TV binge-watchers. As long as the videos they watch fit their entertainment/engagement niche, they are fine staying on YouTube. Compare this to the small population of users who only go on YouTube to watch specific channels.
Content consumers stay on YouTube because the algorithm feeds them the content they want, and the content they want exist only on YouTube because viewers stay there for the addictive algorithm. If you are a successful creator only because of YouTube’s algorithm, then you have an incentive to remain on YouTube and not transition away. And as it turns out, most people who make money on YouTube results from the algorithm. People don’t watch Mr. Beast because he is Mr. Beast. They watch him because he is part of an entertainment/engagement niche that has taken over the platform. If Mr. Beast were to transition to another platform, his content consumers would move onto the most similar YouTube channel in the niche, not transition away with him to the other platform.
Compare this to Nebula TV where the majority of channels are not primarily entertainment/engagement, but educational and edutainment. That’s how Nebula first started out. Video essayists would do what you suggested and double post their content to Nebula. But as I said earlier, the majority of YouTube viewers are content consumers, not viewers of specific YouTube channels. And most successful YouTube creators are successful because they appeal to this audience. Their content gets boosted the better they appeal to the algorithm in their niche.
The reason why YouTube is big isn’t because there are many creators on YouTube that generate large amounts of viewers, or even that there are many viewers on YouTube that attract creators. It’s the addictive algorithm that is the selling point for both parties. Want to consume content mindlessly (of which is most people)? YouTube is the place for you! Want to make money from making YouTube videos (of which is also most people)? YouTube is also the place for you! All thanks to the algorithm.
You are completely right. I hadn’t considered that aspect.
I haven’t used Google Maps on my phone in years. Sometimes I visit on my PC browser without signing in and screenshot the route if all else fails. Google Maps is a last resort.
I use google maps wrapped in webview (GmapsWV) and navigation I rely on Organic Maps/CoMaps
however there was one time where I wish I had used something like waze on a seperate user from the main which is one of the cities that is actually hard even for experienced drivers to navigate through (it is literally safer to take a bus at the cost of extra time and money than driving to that city)
but only that specific one, all other routes I’ve been given have been solid on something like organic maps/comaps
I have used OsmAnd- for driving and it worked like any satnav from 10 years ago. It doesn’t get traffic updates from interpreting user data but my phone is offline anyway. Google is arguably better but I use GrapheneOS without Google services and my brain instead of blindly following a map. My sense of direction has improved to the point where I don’t need it. I’ll make notes on paper or print a Gmap screenshot if necessary.