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Anthony Accioly
3d ago
My wife uses the Google search bar on Android for everything. Of course, web pages open in Chrome, but you won’t find a browser in her dock or on her home screen. If you ask her what browser she’s using, she’ll say, “Google”. Which is… correct. Concerningly correct.
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freemymind 🇨🇭
@freemymind 🇨🇭
3d ago
No concernes about privacy with Google?
Sorry to pop in like this.
But I switched all my search to search.brave.com and startpage.com
Since whatever search engine I use, will probably know more details about my intrest then my wife knows. So I rather give this information to a company that claims to not sell this information.
Sorry to pop in like this.
But I switched all my search to search.brave.com and startpage.com
Since whatever search engine I use, will probably know more details about my intrest then my wife knows. So I rather give this information to a company that claims to not sell this information.
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Anthony Accioly
@Anthony Accioly
3d ago
No need to apologise at all. On my side? I'm using IronFox and a self-hosted SearXNG engine. I have a GrapheneOS-flashed phone, but I have to admit that I'm not daily driving it anymore.
On my wife's side? She is still pretty much invested in Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc., no matter what I say. I did manage to get her to use Signal to communicate with me (and basically only me, she uses WhatsApp to text everyone else). To give her credit, she has at least tightened up her Instagram privacy settings a bit, though that doesn’t help much.
Getting the people we love to try healthier tech and protect themselves is... a continuous, ongoing effort.
On my wife's side? She is still pretty much invested in Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc., no matter what I say. I did manage to get her to use Signal to communicate with me (and basically only me, she uses WhatsApp to text everyone else). To give her credit, she has at least tightened up her Instagram privacy settings a bit, though that doesn’t help much.
Getting the people we love to try healthier tech and protect themselves is... a continuous, ongoing effort.
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fiatjaf
@fiatjaf
♥︎ by author
3d ago
I think it used to open in Chrome before, but now it doesn't open in Chrome, it opens on a webview inside the Google app, no?
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Anthony Accioly
@Anthony Accioly
3d ago
Correct. I mean, the webview is running in Chrome, at least on my phone, but it is indeed a webview.
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fiatjaf
@fiatjaf
3d ago
The difference is that you can't type a URL.
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Anthony Accioly
@Anthony Accioly
3d ago
The worst part is... you actually can. You can type a URL directly into Google’s search bar, and it will navigate to it "directly".
So, if you’re happy to proxy your entire browsing experience through Google, not use uBlock Origin, and generally be a satisfied Worker-Consumer, delegating trust and control to our Big Tech overlords, then there’s a very convenient, very comfy box, I mean, Google Search Webwiew, waiting for you...
I think Google has found a way around the incoming monopoly-breaking measures. Who needs Chrome when, for their user base, Google is the Internet? And to be fair, it’s not just Google... Meta, Amazon, and [insert your favourite Big Tech company here] are all engaging in similar practices to greater or lesser degrees.
Big Tech in a nutshell:
So, if you’re happy to proxy your entire browsing experience through Google, not use uBlock Origin, and generally be a satisfied Worker-Consumer, delegating trust and control to our Big Tech overlords, then there’s a very convenient, very comfy box, I mean, Google Search Webwiew, waiting for you...
I think Google has found a way around the incoming monopoly-breaking measures. Who needs Chrome when, for their user base, Google is the Internet? And to be fair, it’s not just Google... Meta, Amazon, and [insert your favourite Big Tech company here] are all engaging in similar practices to greater or lesser degrees.
Big Tech in a nutshell:
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