Now that Google is officially in bed with government gun grabbers, I’m perplexed about what to do. I don’t want to support the company, and I would like to do anything possible to let them know about it. However, they are a Goliath, and I do not even rise to the level of a David (who in terms of fame is actually a Goliath himself), so I don’t know what to do. I can’t crush Google, and they will never listen to me, so it isn’t anything like Standing Up To The Evil Leviathan. How on earth could I? Google is a giant multinational corporation with the capabilities of knowing and compiling huge amounts of the most personal details about anyone venturing online — working in cahoots with the most powerful people in the country, as well as those at the highest levels of government. They are powerful enough to be able to mess anyone up bigtime if they wanted to. In that respect, any of us is a possible Aaron Swartz. (I see what happened to him as a major red flag.)
Boycotts are silly.
So all I want to do is not use Google to the maximum extent possible until they maybe change their ways and recognize that the Constitution includes at least the amendments in the Bill of Rights. I realize that this will not bring them to their knees, but I have to live with myself, and I cannot use Google automatically every time I search and maintain a clear conscience.
The problem sounds as if it can be reduced to a simple question.
What is the best alternative?
The devil is in the details. Bing is powerful and easy to use, and is not anti-Second Amendment, but it is said to use Google. Duckduckgo has some interesting privacy features, but doesn’t strike me as nearly as full-featured as Google. Then there’s Blekko. I like it, and it has brought up stuff that didn’t come up on Google searches, but is it really Google-free?
Is anything?
Comments
4 responses to “Is it possible to keep Google out of my life, or am I dreaming?”
“is it really Google-free?”
Um no, but you can get around their spying.
1) Set your browser to dump cookies when you close the browser.
2) Don’t use Chrome. (Unless you want to do some misdirection.)
3)Use Bing, etc. as often as possible.
4)If not possible, see #1.
Just because you are paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t after you. 😉
Oh, and that applies to any/all free sites on the net. TANSTAAFL. Got it? If you don’t, believe me, ask Sarah. She’s studied the master. “There Ain’t NO Such Thing As a Free Lunch.”
You’re going to pay, one way or another. Some ways are ok. Others aren’t. Keep your eyes open.
Add “ghostery” to your list of (firefox) add-ons and use it vigorously. If it has the name google in it, or is owned by google, I block it.
Like you, I’m slightly paranoid about google. In addition, I am an intensely private person and also shun all social media such as “facebook”. There are a lot of links that sound interesting that I will not follow because of that
ixquick.com is worth looking into, too. It anonymizes your searches, and offers a secure proxy that works on some sites.
I’ve got an android phone, but I use a third-party phonebook, email, and appointment calendar.
It feels like shoveling feces against the tide, but still…