# Recommendation improvement **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/recommendation-improvement/17927 **Category:** Tool Suggestions **Tags:** invalid **Created:** 2024-04-18T11:37:25Z **Posts:** 7 ## Post 1 by @Pragmatic — 2024-04-18T11:37:25Z Hello, I think PG should recommend more software and include more different categories in terms of security and privacy. For example, GBooard is a nightmare for privacy and Google collects absolutely everything you type and it’s surely one of the tools, if not the worst installed on a phone. Alternatives do exist, however, such as HeliBoard or FlorisBoard, and the same goes for GMaps, which is also a real nightmare for privacy. Alternatives also exist, such as OsmAnd, Organic Maps or Magic Earth (albeit not open source). We could also propose alternatives to Google Message, where messages sent first go through Google’s servers. Offering SMS applications bundled with encrypted messaging could be interesting. I’m also thinking of alternative launcher applications, so that those who visit the site know that there are alternatives that are more respectful of privacy than Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. I don’t know if this has already been discussed, but I think that expanding the recommendations would be interesting. _Translated with [DeepL.com](https://www.deepl.com?utm_campaign=product&utm_source=web_translator&utm_medium=web&utm_content=copy_free_translation) (free version)_ --- ## Post 2 by @anon21666177 — 2024-04-18T12:11:43Z GBoard allows telemetry to be disabled fyi --- ## Post 3 by @Pragmatic — 2024-04-18T12:17:48Z I’m not sure that Google really cares if telemetry is deactivated, especially when we know that Google collects location data even when telemetry is deactivated, for example. --- ## Post 4 by @anon29374801 — 2024-04-18T12:40:26Z > [@Pragmatic](#): > > We could also propose alternatives to Google Message > **[The Best Private Instant Messengers - Privacy Guides](https://www.privacyguides.org/en/real-time-communication/)** > > Encrypted messengers like Signal and SimpleX keep your sensitive communications secure from prying eyes. --- ## Post 5 by @Pragmatic — 2024-04-18T12:47:25Z I know that there are encrypted messaging applications, except that Google Message isn’t a Signal-type messaging application, but more an enriched “SMS” application, which is why there are alternatives like Deku SMS, Fossify SMS and so on. It would be interesting to create a sub-group with encrypted messaging apps. --- ## Post 6 by @sha123 — 2024-04-18T13:00:25Z > [@Pragmatic](#): > > For example, GBooard is a nightmare for privacy and Google collects absolutely everything you type and it’s surely one of the tools, if not the worst installed on a phone. Gboard is fine to use, if you adjust the privacy settings. It uses federated learning to improve its model. It’s basically the only good keyboard, if you write in multiple languages and need to switch automatically many times a day between these. --- ## Post 7 by @redoomed1 — 2024-04-18T15:01:13Z > [@Pragmatic](#): > > I don’t know if this has already been discussed From a cursory search on the forum, the following threads and replies pop up for each of the “categories” you mentioned. * * * > [@Pragmatic](#): > > Alternatives do exist, however, such as HeliBoard or FlorisBoard > [@Recommend open source Android keyboards](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/recommend-open-source-android-keyboards/17808): > > [https://divestos.org/pages/recommended\_apps#keyboards](https://divestos.org/pages/recommended_apps#keyboards) Do not ever use any keyboard apps that are proprietary and/or require network permission. It doesn’t matter how great that auto-complete is, it’s very bad if it’s sending everything you type to a server somewhere just to be data mined. It doesn’t even matter if it has a “good” privacy policy or if you trust the creator, sending it away incurs the chance of being intercepted by a less trusted party. Study from 2022: [https://www.scss.tcd.i…](https://www.scss.tcd.ie/Doug.Leith/pubs/gboard_kamil.pdf) * * * > [@Pragmatic](#): > > Alternatives also exist, such as OsmAnd, Organic Maps or Magic Earth (albeit not open source) 1: [Add Navigation (GPS) tools](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/add-a-navigation-section/13669) 2: [Organic Maps](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/organic-maps/10577) * * * > [@Pragmatic](#): > > Google Message, where messages sent first go through Google’s servers ![google-messages](//forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/2X/9/97e20aefbe8cee974baed8454aa2f12e4a9ead0c.png) Link to the above reply: [Downside of using Google apps on GrapheneOS? - #14 by dngray](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/downside-of-using-google-apps-on-grapheneos/17132/14) * * * > [@Pragmatic](#): > > SMS applications bundled with encrypted messaging See the following exchange in [1](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/simple-mobile-tools-to-be-bought-by-zipoapps/15337/80) and [2](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/simple-mobile-tools-to-be-bought-by-zipoapps/15337/82) * * * > [@Pragmatic](#): > > alternative launcher applications, so that those who visit the site know that there are alternatives that are more respectful of privacy than Nova Launcher 1: [Alternative Android Launchers (FOSS) - #4 by matchboxbananasynergy](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/alternative-android-launchers-foss/197/4) > It’s hard to think that if you’re worried about the stock OS on your Android device “spying” on you, simply replacing the launcher will fix or even improve the situation. It will only introduce another party into the mix. The OEM has a lot of other things installed on your device in most cases, including things you can’t remove, so the effects of replacing the launcher are dubious. 2: [Alternative Android Launchers (FOSS) - #8 by ph00lt0](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/alternative-android-launchers-foss/197/8) > if the launcher is doing shady stuff many core systems will probably do so as well on those devices. The only good way to get rid of that is installing a custom [operating system]. Replacing the launcher simply isn’t solving anything. --- ## Post 8 by @redoomed1 — 2025-03-23T18:36:29Z > [@More Privacy Frontends](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/more-privacy-frontends/25931/11): > > we review each listing individually. This would become one messy discussion not going to get to any conclusions. You can recommend each tool separately. Please do look for existing discussions tho (many already have a discussion thread on the forum)