6 privacy-focused alternatives for Maps, Messaging, Search, and more

Most of us Familiar with the apps we depend on, it’s easy to stop thinking about how they work and what they do with our data. Most of the free services make their money from ads, and that means collecting data about our likes, online activities, and our use of the app.

There are better options: the apps that will keep your data safe from unwanted visitors and enthusiastic advertisers. And it may fit into your daily routine more easily than you expect.

Of course, Apple and Google take different approaches to user privacy – Apple makes money by selling devices, while Google makes money selling ads, and this requires a lot of data collection and profiling. Although Google promises to keep your actual personal data private, it sells ads in exchange for the profile you create.

In comparison, a lot of Apple apps are really well locked in terms of privacy: Safari, Mail, Apple Maps, etc. However, both Apple and Google avoided us on this list to give you options across multiple devices and platforms.

Signal for correspondence

You have a number of apps to choose from for text messaging, but few focus on security like Signal (Male in appearanceAnd the iOS) While also working across multiple platforms with ease. As you’d expect, end-to-end encryption is being used as standard, and there is also the option for messages to disappear so that they leave no trace behind.

Although Signal may not be as full of many options and features as some of the other instant messaging programs in the app stores, it does support voice and video calls, as well as group chats, file transfers, audio clips, and very important GIFs. The biggest issue with the app might be getting everyone in your contact list to switch to it, but we have it A complete guide to Signal here To help you prove the case.

Firefox to browse the web