Opting out of data Surveillance

What is the difference

Proprietary

– Closed source, Lack of your control on their direction and operation.

Free Alternative

– open sourced, more input from users, you can create your own fork of the software for your own purpose.

Desktop Operating Systems

Proprietary

Apple OSX

Google Chrome OS

Microsoft Windows

Ubuntu 13.04 and newer.

Desktop Operating Systems

Proprietary

Apple OSX

Google Chrome OS

Microsoft Windows

Ubuntu 13.04 and newer.

Desktop Operating Systems

Free Alternatives

GNU/Linux Based

– Debian

– Fedora

– Ubuntu – under special conditions

– Gentoo, Linux Mint, others.

BSD Based

– FreeBSD

– OpenBSD

Live CD's & VM images

Proprietary

None

Live CD's & VM images

Free Alternative

Liberte Linux

CD/USB based designed as a communication aid in hostile environments.

Tails

CD/USB based on Debian and Tor aimed at privacy and anonymity.

Whonix

VM based on Debian and Tor aimed at privacy and anonymity.

Android

Proprietary

Google Android

Google Play

Android

Free Alternatives

CyanogenMod – Aftermarket firmware

Replicant – Free Android distribution based on CyanogenMod

Firefox OS – Open source operating system

F-Droid – Alternative to Google play app store

IOS and Windows Phone

Proprietary

iOS – Apple iOS

Microsoft Windows Phone

iOS and Windows Phone

Free Alternatives

No alternatives at this time

Web Browsers

Proprietary

Apple Safari

Google Chrome

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Opera

Web Browsers

Free Alternatives

Tor Browser Bundle - Encrypted, anonymous web browsing powered by the Tor network.

JonDonym - Private browsing with the JonDo IP anonymization service and JonDoFox profile for Firefox.

Firefox – (note IP is exposed)

Orbot - The features and functionality of Tor for Android.

Web Browser Add-ons

Useful

Adblock Edge

Disconnect

HTTPS Everywhere

NoScript

RequestPolicy

CryptoCat – IM Messaging

Mailvelope – OpenPGP email encryption

Web Search

Proprietary

Google Search

Microsoft Bing

Yahoo Search

Web Search

Free Alternatives

DuckDuckGo - Anonymous, unlogged web searches.

MetaGer - Meta search engine that proxies your queries to multiple search providers.

Startpage - Private, unlogged web searches.

Seeks Project - Open decentralized platform for collaborative search.

YaCy - Decentralized web search.

Word Processing

Proprietary

Google Docs

Microsoft Office Suite

Word Processing

Free Alternatives

LibreOffice.

OpenOffice.

NeoOffice.

Koffice.

Gnome Office.

Feng Office.

Maps

Proprietary

Apple Maps

Google Maps

Google Earth

Microsoft Bing Maps

Yahoo Maps

Maps

Free Alternatives

OpenStreetMaps

Marble - virtual globe and world atlas.

Email Services

Proprietary

Google Mail

Microsoft Exchange/Outlook.com

Yahoo Mail

Email Services

Free Alternatives

Autistici/Inventati -service

MyKolab

Riseup

BitMessage – nice peer to peer

RetroShare – peer to peer

Kolab – server software

Email Clients

Proprietary

Apple OSX Mail

IBM Notes

Microsoft Office Outlook

Novell Groupwise

Email Clients

Free Alternatives

Mozilla Thunderbird with Enigmail and TorBirdy plugins.

Claws Mail – built in PGP support

Sylpheed – Built in PGP support

K-9 mail for android

Email Encryption

Pay Proprietary options

PGP tools – (Phil Zimmerman old company) pay full set of different tools

Email Encryption

Free/Pay options

GNU Privacy Guard – GPG

GPGMail/GPGtools

WebPG

APG – for android

Instant Messaging

Proprietary

AOL Instant Messenger

Yahoo Messenger

Apple OSX Messenger

Google Talk

Viber Messenger

Trillian

WhatsApp Messenger

Instant Messaging

Free Alternatives

Pidgin with Off-the-record Messaging OTR plugin

TorChat

BitBee – IRC

Gibberbot, TextSecure, Xabber – android

ChatSecure - iOS

Video conferencing & VoIP

Proprietary

Google Talk

FaceTime

Google+ Hangouts

Skype

Video conferencing & VoIP

Free Alternatives

Jitsi

Mumble

CSipSimple, RedPhone - android

Social networking

Proprietary

Google+

Linkedin

Twitter

Facebook

Social networking

Free Alternatives

Buddycloud

Diaspora

Friendica

Movim

Pump.io

Cloud Storage

Proprietary

Dropbox

Apple iCloud

SpiderOAK – I like their direction

Google Drive

Microsoft SkyDrive

Amazon Services – base service

Cloud Storage

Free Alternatives

ownCloud

Git-annex assistant

Seafile

Sparkleshare

Tahoe-LAFS

BitTorrent sync – new from bittorrent

Document collaboration

Proprietary

Google Docs

Zoho Office Suite

Microsoft Office Web Apps

Document collaboration

Free Alternatives

Pad.riseup.net – service

Etherpad – self-hosted, real-time collaborative

Ethercalc – spreadsheet server, multi-user

Media publishing

Proprietary

Free Alternatives

Online transaction

Proprietary

PayPal

Google Wallet

Free Alternatives

Bitcoin

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Proprietary

Cisco Systems VPN Client

Viscosty

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Free Alternatives

OpenVPN

Libreswan

OpenSwan

StrongSwan

A/I VPN, Riseup VPN - services

Web analytics

Proprietary

Free Alternatives

DNS Providers

Proprietary

Your local ISP

Google Public DNS

DNS Providers

Free Alternatives

OpenDNS

CloudNS

OpenNic Project

DNSCrypt – software tool

Anonymizing network

Proprietary

none

Anonymizing network

Free Alternatives

Tor Hidden Services

Freenet

I2P

Syndie

GNUnet

Nightweb - android

Meshnet

Proprietary

None – ISP's fear this

Meshnet

Free Alternatives

Project Meshnet

freifunk.net – radio network

guifin.net

Project Byzantium

LibreVPN

Server Operating Systems

Proprietary

Apple OSX Server

Microsoft Windows Server

HP-UX

SunSolaris

Server Operating Systems

Free Alternatives

GNU/Linux Based

– Debian

– Ubuntu

– Yunohost,CentOS, others.

BSD Based

– FreeBSD

– OpenBSD

Social networking

Proprietary

facebook

myspace

Free Alternatives

elgg

buddy press

Anahita

XMPP / Sip

Ejabberd

Openfire

Prosody IM

Ostel

Asterisk

FreeSWITCH

Kamailio

Are you safe?