• first keep the stock os and remove google things with Universal Android Debloater
• later move on to a custom rom like LineageOS

Buy a used Pixel and install GrapheneOS. Literally couldn’t be any easier. If you use Google services other than Android it’s a simple matter of well… not using them. It’s not tricky or difficult. No guidance is needed. If they want to do it they will. These sort of posts usually come from people who aren’t genuine. They’re aware of something that makes them uncomfortable about Google (an American surveillance-corporation drenched in blood), but they don’t know how to use computers because the state failed to provide a proper technical education. If they don’t have the motivation it’s pointless. No matter what you say or what you do you’ll always get the same response: it’s different; it’s too hard; but on Google you just did this; blah blah blah.

Their whole framing isn’t grounded in reality. It’s looking at a computer from a consumer point of view: Google does all those things that free-software could do, but it does it better and more! Why would anyone use free-software? They can’t even sell it it’s that bad! No one’s paying people to repackage free-software into a consumer-friendly commodity. There’s a reason why free-software fails in a capitalist-market as a consumer commodity. No one’s buying it. It’s free. Without the influx of capital from sales there’s no capital for marketing.

What ever changes happen usually aren’t worthwhile or they think they’re doing something, but don’t do anything at all. “I removed/don’t use any Google apps on my Google Android.” Ok… you accomplished nothing. Glad you felt like you did something though.

What’s the motivation? The underlying reason matters for the approach and extent we should recommend

Is she willing to buy a new phone and wipe it with LineageOS of GrapheneOS? If not, start off with FOSS alternatives to apps she already uses. Going with a full system replacement might be a make or break situation, depending on if she relies on NFC payment, or a certain banking app that doesn’t work.

If you can convince her to:

• Use Signal for messaging friends (and if she can convince her friends to do the same)
• Purchase a domain so she’s not locked down on her email address when changing email providers (I recommend Tuta)
• Avoid algorithmic control by only following subscriptions with the help of frontends like Newpipe for Youtube
• Avoid Spotify by 🏴‍☠️ or purchasing the music from Bandcamp
• Browse Droidify for any generic app she wants (music player, notes app, etc.)

This should help settle her in more. She could buy a used Pixel 8 and install GrapheneOS. Motorola also plans on releasing a GrapheneOS phone, so could be something to look forward to.

I’ve found it’s easiest to convince people when they can start small and work their way up. I generally introduce them to one application at a time in roughly the following order.

1. Easy slot-in free replacements, which have pretty much the same quality, such as Google Search, chrome, messages, and Drive.
2. Replacements that are still fairly seamless, but either require more effort or are less polished, such as Google Photos, YouTube (switching to NewPipe), and Keep.
3. Things that require significant effort, a small cost, and/or the ability to self host, such as Android -> Graphene (effort), Email (cost), and Contacts/Calendar (cost or self-host).
4. The annoying things that don’t really have a proper replacement elsewhere. Maps (specifically the public transit part and navigating to individual addresses instead of blocks), Assistant (I actually just stopped using this category of application completely), and Pay (also stopped using this, since they’ve got a duopoly, alongside apple).

Degoogling usually doesn’t happen in one go. Even if she isn’t at the point of buying another phone that can run Graphene OS, it is still worth Degoogling the other services she uses.

• !grapheneos@lemmy.world
• !privacy@lemmy.ml
• !privacy@programming.dev
• !degoogle@lemmy.ml
• !lineageos@lemmy.ml

I’m sure there’s a few more but this is what I could think of off the top of my head. It gives you a starting place to check things out.

But for someone who knows none of this, I’d say starting with email is an easy (ish) one. Then whatever the main apps she uses are. Look for FOSS alternatives. It doesn’t need to be everything all at once all the time. One at a time is fine.

Also if she’s on Reddit and not the fediverse r/degoogle and r/privacy are still decent places to learn a few things. If she’s on neither, there’s a lady on most of the big social media platforms called “cut off the spigot.” She covers alternatives for a lot more than just Google though. A lot of finding alternatives to private equity companies.

If she can’t install a custom ROM, then replace the Google apps with FLOSS alternatives: F-Droid/Aurora Store, OSMAnd/Organic Maps, Fossify apps (for Contacts, Phone, Carrier messaging, Calendar etc.), Fennec. This is a list made by Tuta: https://tuta.com/blog/degoogle-list

GrapheneOS on Pixel Phones. Do not install google play services. Then uٌse Fdroid and the Aurora store apps.

If you need google play, isolate that anُd the apps that need it in a separate area like the private space or a sepatate user.

Lineage and Graphene are probably going to be the biggest things anyone can do (which often means having the right phone). Making a list of important agencies and companies you have to tell about you email address change if you have Gmail. Curating your watch history on any accounts you want to use for YouTube. Using alternative sources like peertube. Clearing cookies regularly is important.