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There is immense great power in being in mastery of your own data . As ownership and governance of apps and on-line services consolidate , it ’s understandable if you want to consider your selection when it come to where you store your private data and records of your everyday activities .
Fortunately , not every service out there is endeavor to monetize your personal data , and many offerings are just as good ( if not often better ) as their commercial-grade or advertising - brook rival .
Take a bit to cogitate about what you ’d want to provide behind . Big Tech giants that pile up your data ? Subscription services ? Invasive ad tracking ? Government surveillance ? Your pauperism and endangerment are unique to you , but hopefully a few of these passport serve to collide with the speckle .
Wallabag the stories you want to read later
If you ever wanted to read something afterwards , like a news news report , lineament article , or anything else with a web reference , save it to yourWallabag . This read - later web - archiving service may not have the same ring to it as its main commercial rival pouch , but Wallabag is a secure challenger with article - saving tools and features as good as what Pocket offers .
you’re able to keep your must - read for later on a Wallabag serveryou can run for freeon a internet attached computer memory ( NAS ) server that you host somewhere in a closet at home , orhosted in the cloudfor a gloomy - cost subscription .
Signal istheencrypted messaging app to use
Signal is one of the most revered secure messaging apps for the dim-witted reason that , by design , it bang nothing about you . On occasion , Signal will make this point bypublishing the search stock-purchase warrant it sometimes receives , screw that it ca n’t provide to the authorities data that it does n’t keep . Signal ’s security has been calledthe “ gold criterion ” of messaging appsby steganography experts . Signal is free to download and use but relies on contribution as a nonprofit .
Why you should like : It ’s not just your secret message and calls that Signal keep encrypted from prying eyes and ears , but Signal also crucially scramble who you contact and put across with , and when , which can also be incredibly disclose about a somebody ’s living .
Nextcloud is a self-hosted Dropbox alternative
Nextcloud is a Dropbox alternative that featuresall of the text file editing and sharing featuresyou’d wait from a single file storage arrangement . A Brobdingnagian welfare to Nextcloud is that you canhost a host yourself for spare at nursing home , where you’re able to keep it private and under your ascendence , or have a Nextcloud server runnel for you bya specialized host supplier .
Nextcloud is built with security in mind and allow for you end - to - end cipher admittance to your files from your sound or any other equipment you have . Or , if simply having a ego - hosted Dropbox - corresponding option as a storage backup for your most sore and personal files fathom like something you ’d require , Nextcloud is a great place to begin .
Why does this matter?Cloud storage is often good and private in some means , but the fellowship that move them are beholden to law enforcement and may also invisibly scan your file ( for in force reason , but still ) that can get yousuddenly and permanently bannedfrom your online accounts . host your own does n’t signify you are free from police render up at your house with a endorsement , but at least you ’d be aware of it .
Never forget your passwords again with Bitwarden
Password managersare a bang-up investiture in your personal security ; these apps firmly store your watchword , passkeys , credit entry cards , and other secrets , so you do n’t have to remember them . Bitwardenis a popular open reference password manager that help you enter quickly to your favorite sites and car - fills your credit bill of fare details when you want to pay for something , and more . you could get at your Bitwarden parole manager anywhere , including from your phone . Bitwarden is free for anyone to use , but low - price for additional features .
Why does this matter?When it come in to security of password managers , the more eyeballs inspecting the source code to control its reliability and unity , the better . And while other password managers are also in force , open source systems like Bitwarden are more readily auditable and open about their software system growing process .
Joplin and Notesnook keep your notes and scribbles encrypted
For those who need to leave Google Docs or Microsoft 365 behind , there are wad of note - take on apps that keep all of your notes , thoughts , and scribbles in one place that you may access anytime . Joplinis a popular document and productiveness app that keeps your file organize , encrypted , and in open format ( like Markdown ) so you could take them with you anywhere else . Notesnookis another promissory note - take app that countenance you export your notes to utilize with other apps and is end - to - close encrypted so that nobody can take your files . The same can not be aver for Google Docs !
For anyone looking for a downloadable and offline office suite that is n’t made by Microsoft , LibreOfficeis the near Office option you ’ll find out there . LibreOffice is private by design and destitute to expend ( thoughits macOS app in the Mac App Store is n’t ) , and works with all the mutual file cabinet and text file formatting you on a regular basis utilize .
Why does this matter?Big caller like Google and Microsoft are progressively unify their services , which today intend exposing your annotation , electronic mail , and files to their AI systems . This can be useful for sure , but if you ’d rather just have a simple , crabbed - platform text syncing app , there are plenty of options that do n’t do any kind of invasive analysis at all .
Ente is an encrypted vault for your photos
If you want to leave behind Apple Photos , Flickr , Google Photos , YouTube , and the like , Ente.iobills itself as a seclusion - focus photograph storage app designed plainly to securely back up all of your photos and videos to the swarm . Ente scrambles your data with a countersign only you know , protecting your memories from anyone else , and backs up your datum in multiple locations around the world for safekeeping . Plus , Ente offer all of the photo management and share-out features you require from a photo app . Ente is devoid for canonic accounts and reasonably priced for more storage option .
Why does this matter?Much like notes and documents , images are a Brobdingnagian object for AI system . motorcar - tagging your friends might go helpful , but it requires consent . You should have to opt in before a machine erudition mannikin scan every brass you ’ve ever direct a picture of . That alone is a good reason to face at an independent service that gives you a little more choice .
Block ads on most devices with your own Pi-hole
A Pi - pickle can be be given on any equipment that you have always on and running at base , like a computer , an previous laptop computer , or aRaspberry Pi PC . degree any of your machine ’s DNS networking preferences to your Pi - trap and you will seldom have to think about advert again . For a more polished drug user experience for beginners , AdGuard Homeis also a top rival in the category of the self - host net - level advertizement blocking agent .
Why does this matter?Ad blockers are good for your surety and privacy , but not all ad blockers work with every machine . A net - level advertising blocking agent lick this trouble for a broader range of machine .
Set up your own encrypted VPN that only you control
host VPN providersoften claim to offer privateness and security , but do n’t be fooled . These society can see all your web graze history as your net traffic flows through their systems , often under the guise of ply you security measure , privacy , or anonymity in return .
But inour explainer on what VPNs are and what they do , we notice VPNs are only helpful in a fistful of situations , such as accessing your devices when you are away from home or the place . Even then , the in effect VPN is one that you ’ve arrange up yourself and control condition so that nobody else can listen in in .
We havea guide on how to ready up your own encipher VPN waiter in just a few minutesusing Tailscale , which work it comfortable to create a practical internet take into account you to link all of your various information processing system , phones , and other devices to that internet . you could even go under up Tailscale on a home waiter in your W.C. , or an Apple TV that ’s always plugged in and run .
Tailscale is built on top of the WireGuard open generator VPN protocol . There areplenty of other WireGuard - ready implementations to exploreif you desire to experiment outside of Tailscale .
Why does this matter?Most people do n’t need a VPN outside of specific habit cases . But if you do , an encrypted VPN waiter that you have place up and operate ensures that your cyberspace traffic is encrypted using a individual samara only you have , meaning your web data point can not be seized , stolen , or sifted through .
Home Assistant is the central hub for all your home’s smart devices
For anyonewho ’s splash around with a smart abode , this one is for you . Home Assistant is , only put , the hub that plug into all of your smart home gadget and lets you operate them all from one place . This assailable - source smart household server can mix with K of chic home vendor equipment , graze from articulation assistant to light bulbs and robot vacuum cleaner and more , allowing you to start , stop , or otherwise control your devices from your web browser ( or a phone app ) . you’re able to also automate your smart rest home devices just like you’re able to inApple HomeorGoogle Home .
Home Assistant is local by design andcan be ego - host on a variety of devices , from a abode waiter in a closet to any other equipment that ’s always on , like a desktop estimator . And for anyone who wants to access Home Assistant fromoutside your home , you may set up remote access through its swarm - based subscription service .
Why does this matter?Not every sassy habitation vendor can keep the light on , and sudden settlement or bankruptcies can result in customer equally ineffective to keep approach to their light . undertaking like Home Assistant can ill-treat inwhen chic home tech goes defunct , saving customer from having to give for costly substitution .
Open Scanner is a very simple document-scanning app
text file scanning does n’t have to be a complicated or convoluted procedure . give Scanneris an incredibly simple gunpoint - and - snap document - scan app for iPhones , and itscode is publish online . That ’s it . Sometimes that ’s the true beauty of disconnecting from profit - force back corporations that bloat their apps with AI dust and feature nobody really demand .
Open Scanner can snap receipts , notes , text , or anything else you’re able to point your earpiece at . For Android drug user , OSS Document Scanneris a similarly unsubdivided , open informant , and free app for scanning document .
Why does this matter?Unless you really call for a professional digital scanner , your phone is more than good enough and credibly better than a band of cheaper digital scanner out there . Skip the pauperization for any pressman - mark hardware gear and utilise something simple and destitute .
Aggregate your news headlines using FreshRSS
Why does this matter?You’d be surprised how different the news feels when you see it this way . And have your own RSS setup skips the kind of patronise posts and tracking that you see on hosted services , much like the read - it - late single .
Own your livestreams with Owncast
For those who broadcast their own shows , gameplay , or anything in between , Owncastis a ego - hosted streaming system for setting up and host livestreams . Owncast is wildly democratic , as it ’s free , fairly easy to apply , and works with your exist livestreaming gear . You might not have thought about livestreaming before , but this is a skillful way to wade into unfamiliar but friendly pee .
Why does this matter?Sites like Twitch are certainly popular , but you may not want to rely entirely on the tools of a giant potbelly for every step of a originative process ( in this typesetter’s case , Amazon ) . Owncast and other open streaming apps are a great way to parry your stakes while maybe opening up a new audience .
Stirling PDF is a one-stop PDF editing shop
Handling and editing PDF documents has never been consistently easy . For those who do n’t require to pony up for Adobe ’s software or upload their file to sketchy - looking file conversion website , Stirling PDFis the Swiss Army tongue for PDF documents . Convert , edit , merge , rent , sign of the zodiac , and more , without possess to hand over your personal or sensitive file to a cloud heavyweight . Stirling PDF also rent you ego - legion if you prefer to do by documents with particular sensitivity .
Why does this matter?Frankly , any clock time there ’s a realistic alternative to Adobe , take it .
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First published on November 24 , 2024.Devin Coldewey lend .
