How to avoid google and big tech on a new phone

Discuss The Products
1

Dear community
I am very disappointed. I bought a new Fairphone 3+ with the intention of avoiding all google, facebook, etc etc big tech surveillance. I just got it out of the box and I love it straight away, but … I can’t seem to get my phone to do anything without signing on to a Google account first. This seems a bad first step. I appreciate it’s probably Android rather than Fairphone to blame. Any advice welcomed, please

1 Like
2

Hi, the phone is sold with an ordinary Android OS. If you don’t want to use it, check out this list of alternative operating systems: ✏ Operating Systems for Fairphones (scroll down to Fairphone 3)

8 Likes
3

Hi I have a FP3+ since Oct 20 there was no need to use, or create a google account and I then removed most of the google related apps.

I’m sure there is an option to skip the google account during setup??

As @AlbertJP said FP is not sold as a way to avoid Android/Google just a bit more fair trading with the manufactures. The issue of having a google account and not having one on an Android setup is common to all Android /Google OSs. They are optional and encouraged by Google but avoidable even using the stock Android 10 as default etc.

2 Likes
4

Thanks Amoun.
I get that Fairphone is about Fairtrade and so forth, that was my reason for choosing this model. It also so happens I am concerned re big data surveillance … see Carissa Veliz, Shoshana Zuboff, the Social Dilemma on Netflix
Anyway, to get back to the phone .I’ve gone back and done a factory reset. I still can’t get past a point where it asks me for a google account to proceed, even if I press ‘don’t copy’ at the Copy apps and data section and ‘skip’ the google sign in page that section, it just goes to a google sign in page regardless.
I think I may have to set up a bogus google account and delete stuff later.
Thanks anyhow

5

Thanks Albert. I am thinking of using /e/ (although I am worried that I am not v tech orientated) … but I need to get the phone up and working before I can progress to anything like that and the set up seems hijacked by the need to sign in to a google account.
I think I may have to set up a bogus google account and delete stuff later.
Thanks anyhow

6

Unfortuntely I haven’t got an FP3 at hand right now (I had one – borrowed – for over a year or so), but I am sure I never needed to create a Google account, although the setup process often gives that impression.

3 Likes
7

/e/ is a good solution if you don’t need to rely on certain mainstream apps. Some banking apps have their issues. On the https://community.e.foundation forum is a list of apps working with microG
Life without google isn’t easy, but it’s possible.
If you want to make the jump to eOS, check the missing driver posts first, then there should be no trouble using the easy-installer.

2 Likes
8

Don’t be afraid. /e/ provides a tool called “easy-installer” - nomen est omen! This tool (Linux/Windows10) does nearly everything for you. Give it a try → Try the Easy Installer beta
Btw. I use /e/ on my FP3 since begin and I’m happy without google & co.
If you need help, there is a great community (some of the best fellows are active here too).

5 Likes
9

Thank you, much appreciated

10

Thank you kindly. This is a great community

11

Thanks for this … maybe I haven’t just figured it out yet, there must be a way past. J

1 Like
12

I don’t have an FP3 so this is just an idea: On first setup make sure you don’t have an internet connection, i.e. no WLAN, no SIM card. This way you can’t create a Google account (because an internet connection is needed for this). Maybe you will then be able to setup the phone without an account.

2 Likes
13

—stock OS—
I did several setups on my FP3, and as far as I remember, one was without creating a g-account.

And I probably had this setting. No wifi, no mobile data, the sim was inside tho.

—eOS—
Here is a regular occuring problem while installing eOS with the easy-installer:

14

Thanks everyone …

15

Lineage OS for MicroG. Aurora Store for getting apps from Google store without signing in (use the anonymous option). One or two apps don’t work, they’re often the most heavily integrated into the Google APIs like the Nest app, but I replaced my Nest thermostat as it was annoying me anyway.

16

You can set up a minimal Google account with pretty much arbitrary credentials. So what?

Google assumes that Android users will download and maybe even buy apps from the Play Store. These have to be tied to some kind of account, so that they can for example be restored when you’re switching to another phone. This is not evil, it is just useful.

Best wishes,
Thomas

17

Hi Teezeh and thanks for your response. What is evil is what Google and all tech giants do in collecting your data, even these little app movements are harvested, in fact especially these little movements. Please read either ‘Surveillance Capitalism’ by Shoshana Zuboff, or ‘Privacy is Power’ by Carissa Veliz, and watch ‘The Social Dilemma’ on Netflix. Then you too will want to avoid contact as much as possible … and it is difficult to avoid - which is part of the problem
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Sorry to be the messenger, but you need to get wiser.

2 Likes
18

So convincing. Perhaps just leave that sledgehammer part out next time :wink: .

“Comes the Revolution, comrades, everybody’s gonna eat strawberries ’n’ cream!”

– “But I don’t like strawberries ’n’ cream.”

“Comes the revolution, comrade, you’ll EAT strawberries ’n’ cream!”

1 Like
20

Sorry to be the messenger, but fear is an illusion that you are important and you matter to the outside world. Fear is a disease that begets isolation and violence, it is a bad brain chemistry.

1 Like
21

Sorry. Looking back I can see that my language was inflammatory. I apologise. I just worry so much about this issue, I get carried away

2 Likes