Google is a massive technology corporation that has ingrained itself deeply into the everyday lives of people around the world. This fatal reliance on Google and its prosucts is detrimental to our privacy, security, and freedom on the Internet. Consequently, there is a significant need for a clear guide on how to survive the Internet for those interested in independence from Google.
It is relatively common knowledge that Google manages a large number of the products we use daily, but many people do not consider the amount they use. Here is a relatively brief list of commonly used Google products taken from Wikipedia:
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Google Search | A web search engine and Google's core product. |
| Google Chrome | A popular web browser developed by Google. |
| Gmail | An email service. |
| YouTube | A video hosting website. |
| Android | A Linux-based operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance. |
| Google Calendar | An online calendar with Gmail integration, calendar sharing, and a "quick add" function to create events using natural language. |
| Google Docs Editors | A productivity office suite with document collaboration and publishing capabilities. |
| Google Drive | A file hosting service with synchronisation option; tightly integrated with Google Docs Editors. |
| Google Fonts | A webfont hosting service. |
| Google Forms | A survey software. |
| Google Maps | A mapping service that indexes streets and displays satellite and street-level imagery, providing directions and local business search. |
| Google Meet | A video conferencing platform. |
| Google Pixel | Smartphones, tablets, laptops, earbuds, and other accessories. |
| Google Sheets | A spreadsheet editing software. |
| Google Sites | A webpage creation and publication tool. |
| Google Slides | A presentation editing software. |
| Google Translate | A service that allows carrying out machine translation of any text or web page between pairs of languages. |
| Google Voice | A VoIP system that provides a phone number that can be forwarded to actual phone lines. |
Note this is an extremely simplified list, and the full range of Google products is far broader.
Google is unfortunately a unique corporation in that there is no clearly defined company that can provide a comprehensive suite of product alternatives to all that Google provides. Hence, for a complete breakoff from Google, multiple companies' software must be used. Nevertheless, I will provide options from the same product suite when available.
There are numerous search engines that act as alternatives to Google Search; however, many of them are difficult to use, yield an unhelpful experience, or blatantly exacerbate the privacy issues found in Google.