You can’t escape Google. At least, that’s the way it appears.
The firm doesn’t simply dominate search. It additionally has its tendrils in private storage, on-line productiveness instruments, books, music, social networking, and extra. Billions of individuals the world over use their providers due to the comfort and energy.
The flip facet? Google, and different on-line suppliers like them, gather an enormous quantity of knowledge about you and your on-line habits, and it is not at all times clear what corporations do with that every one that knowledge. This is inflicting extra individuals to search for options to those “free” instruments, however many don’t know the place to search out them.
Framasoft, a non-profit community devoted to the worldwide promotion of free (as in free speech) software program and culture, needs to assist individuals de-Googlize their on-line lives.
Thanks to the miracle that’s Etherpad, I used to be capable of sit down (nearly) with the staff from Framasoft to be taught extra about what they do and why they do it.
Answers by Framasoft members: bnjbvr, fredurb1, Genma, goofy, Pouhiou, and framasky
Scott Nesbitt: Tell us in regards to the concept behind Framasoft.
Framasoft: Framasoft places many hosted free and open supply providers and progressive tasks on the disposal of most of the people to focus on options to free providers owned by companies [whose] enterprise mannequin is surveillance capitalism. In addition to putting in these free instruments to current them as respectful options, we wrote documentation explaining how one can use them, even in case you don’t have any technical background, in addition to how one can set up them by yourself servers.
Framasoft can be an invite to work collectively to construct this different world of sharing and cooperation. We have a neighborhood of benevolent volunteers supported by a public curiosity nonprofit group which additionally employs a couple of paid staff.
SN: Why did you begin Framasoft?
Framasoft: The undertaking was began by academics, who acquired computer systems at colleges that have been allotted for his or her skilled use. Since that they had no funds for purchasing the software program they wanted, they sought free (as in free beer) software program after which stumbled upon free (as in free speech) software program.
They began to make a listing of the free and open supply software program they might use in lieu of closed options. Later, they shared this record with a broader viewers. At some level, they met individuals working within the free software program neighborhood and have become a part of this neighborhood.
SN: What are Framasoft’s guiding rules?
Framasoft: We are devoted to advocating and evangelizing free and open supply software program and tradition.
We are focusing on the mainstream public to the biggest doable extent. Right from the start, we adopted a sort of agnostic place relating to open supply vs. Libre: We take into account that more often than not, it’s a great first step for the person to undertake open supply software program and never essentially free (as in free speech) software program.
We are additionally fiercely impartial of any industrial or institutional affect as a result of our funds is sort of solely funded by donations. So each service we suggest to the general public is tracker-free, has no analytics, has no ads, nothing. We respect your privateness, and we encourage you to pay attention to knowledge privateness points in all the web providers you employ in your day by day life.
We don’t settle for cash from the French authorities both. When [it] comes time to contest the federal government’s choices, we aren’t afraid of any setbacks, and we will be happy to talk out within the open.
SN: What’s concerned in de-Googlizing your life?
Framasoft: We have been afraid that some large companies try to take management of the Internet. We name these GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft). We’re additionally involved about different corporations, like Twitter, Uber, Meetup, in addition to some Chinese ones, like Baidu.
Their instruments are free to make use of, however in trade for his or her providers, you give away loads of private knowledge. The extra knowledge [these companies] have, the extra economically highly effective they’re. The private knowledge from their customers is offered again to different non-public corporations [and] is then used for profiling and focused commercial. Worse, generally governments get entry to this knowledge in come what may, giving them means to extra effectively chase political opponents.
We determined to show that the web can be utilized not solely with out their instruments however with instruments that respect customers’ privateness and knowledge possession.
We determined to supply and promote 30 free software-based instruments inside three years. Each instrument was a substitute for a generally used software-as-a-service (SaaS) product offered by one of many main corporations.
Three years later, we did it: 32 Framasoft-branded tools are on-line at present, and we proceed to organize extra (though we’re slowing down).
SN: How would you advise somebody to begin de-Googlizing their digital life?
Framasoft: Don’t attempt to be exemplary. Don’t attempt to change all of your habits on the primary day. That’s one of the best ways to be sure to gained’t make it.
When utilizing a software-as-a-service product, ask about its enterprise mannequin. If it’s free, how does the corporate behind it generate income? The reply may very well be one thing alongside the traces of if it’s free, then you definitely’re the product.
Then you can begin by figuring out one piece of software program that you simply often use, attempt one in all our suggested hosted alternatives or one which’s listed within the FramaLibre directory. Then resolve whether or not you’re keen and able to transfer on from the company service to an open supply one. Then you possibly can even unsubscribe, one service at a time!
If you’re within the idea behind surveillance capitalism and knowledge privateness on the Internet, there are lots of helpful assets accessible on the Internet, like Aral Balkan’s movies or Glenn Greenwald’s TED talk. Many different web sites record options to proprietary software program, like Prism Break, for instance.
SN: How do you reply to individuals who say issues like “I need to use Google,” or “Framasoft doesn’t have the tools I need,” or “Free and open source software is too complex for me”?
Framasoft: Keep utilizing software program you’re [comfortable] with, even whether it is unhealthy. Changing habits takes time, and it may be tough. Just remember that your knowledge is utilized by somebody who just isn’t your good friend. First, it is likely to be the service supplier. Later on, your insurance coverage firm, or within the worst case, your authorities.
Keep this in thoughts when utilizing digital gadgets, too. They typically include a bundle of apps that on-line service suppliers preinstall in your gadget, so that you fall [easily] into utilizing these.
Step by step, you possibly can progressively transfer towards a brand new manner of utilizing software program and the web. And you might discover out that one approach to be extra free is to make use of software program that respects you and your privateness.
Be conscious that you simply’re making a tradeoff right here. Most of the time, massive corporations put some huge cash into the end-user expertise and the mixing between completely different merchandise. They do this to maintain their customers as tied to their platforms as doable. Most open supply software program is crafted by passionate individuals who may not have the assets or the time to [develop] as many options as these corporations can.
SN: Do you suppose it’s doable for most individuals to delete Google from their lives? Why or why not?
Yes, it’s [possible]. But it is likely to be exhausting and require some effort since Google is a non-public firm [whose] financial energy comes out of your knowledge. They will attempt to do every thing to maintain you with them. They, and Facebook, and Twitter, and so forth, in the end attempt very exhausting to be helpful to you, and extremely straightforward so that you can use as a result of they don’t need you to go away. Remember that you’re not the client, you’re the product. They make some huge cash because of you.
But you possibly can ultimately make it with a while and conviction. You can take a minimalist strategy to software program utilization and take into account that loads of options of hosted providers are literally not that helpful. Or you possibly can depart one service at a time, or just some [services].
SN: Other than providing some highly effective software program, how do you encourage individuals to take away Google from their lives?
Framasoft: Offering software program is just one of our actions. Framasoft can be a preferred schooling non-profit.
We have a blog the place we clarify our concepts and current information in regards to the free software program neighborhood normally. We additionally translate articles written in overseas languages (primarily English) for our French viewers, and we host free tradition articles written by company.
We publish free-licensed books written by authors who’ve determined that their books needs to be accessible to everybody.
We are sharing our concepts and technique with different organizations within the free software program neighborhood, but in addition with different teams who care about options for a fairer, extra native and cooperative world.
Our members give talks at occasions throughout France and overseas—for instance at FOSDEM in Brussels—and in entrance of many various audiences, from individuals who know nothing about free software program to hard-core free software program activists.
SN: What benefit does Framasoft’s suite of instruments provide over, for instance, Google’s instruments?
Framasoft: Freedom! Since you possibly can examine the supply code of the software program, you possibly can examine and examine for your self (or let consultants do it) what the software program does together with your knowledge. You haven’t any such assure with closed software program.
And in case you discover a difficulty within the software program, superb. You can get in contact with the software program’s maintainers and get a human response as a substitute of a pre-processed assist questionnaire.
Also longevity. Think about that: If Google decides to shut a instrument, what makes you suppose it is possible for you to to get your knowledge again? They have little interest in seeing you permit, so that they’re typically reluctant to offer you a bundle with all of your private knowledge so you can transfer to a special service supplier.
Free software program, then again, is a assure that your knowledge might be saved and transferred to a different free instrument. After making an attempt one in all our providers, if you wish to depart it, it’s completely superb. We encourage you to take action since we don’t wish to change into a brand new knowledge silo. We may give you an archive together with your knowledge so you possibly can get rid of it at your personal will.
Privacy. We maintain the minimal quantity of metadata that’s required by the regulation the place the servers are hosted. We see no worth in getting extra, so we don’t take extra. For some providers, we have now no information of what your knowledge is since it’s encrypted end-to-end. Framanotes (based mostly on Turtl), for instance, is zero-knowledge software program for taking private notes as an alternative choice to Evernote.
In Part 2 of this interview, the oldsters at Framasoft talk about the response to their efforts and what their plans are for the long run.
Thanks to the Framasoft staff for taking the time to take part on this interview, and particularly to Jean-Bernard Marcon, who coordinated between the staff and me.
