Jacob | Five Eye Tea on Nostr: I totally get it. I'd say in a case like yours, the best thing to do would be to be ...
I totally get it. I'd say in a case like yours, the best thing to do would be to be in somewhat of a state of constant motion. In other words, keep trying privacy tools (both new ones and ones you've tried before) and see if you're able to gradually work them more into your workflow.
As for apps, tools and suggestions, I have loads but the easiest is definitely just to switch browsers & search engines. These days, I personally find Brave Search to be way better than any of the other alternatives, especially if you keep their AI summarizer enabled. You can also start using tools like Freetube on PC and Newpipe (or Grayjay) on Android whenever you want to watch Youtube. There are also great alternatives to YT such as Odysee, which are great to watch if any of the creators you follow are uploading there.
I'd also say that when it comes to less private options (stock Android, Windows, that sort of thing), there are ways you can at least reduce the surface that the companies have to harvest data from you. For example, in Windows, you can use tools like O&O ShutUp10 to forcefully disable a lot of telemetry. You can block MS telemetry domains via hosts.txt and even the default Windows firewall. There are also tools such as Safing's Portmaster, which is effectively an advanced firewall dedicated to increasing security and locking down as much data harvesting as possible.
And in terms of Android, my biggest suggestion is to side-load F-Droid (or Droid-ify, which is a better version of F-Droid) and then install two apps: Shizuku, and then Canta. Shizuku allows you to effectively simulate root access without having to root your phone; it's not perfect but it does give you a lot more control over installing/uninstalling stuff. Then, as for Canta, that app functions as a means of forcefully uninstalling any bloatware or spyware that you don't want to be on there. It does so safely, so that you're less likely to brick your phone (especially if you restrict it to recommended and safe uninstalls) and even if you mess something up, a factory reset will always work fine, unlike rooted options.
Other tips: install Aurora Store via F-Droid, which allows you to install apps from the Play Store without having to be signed in. Speaking of accounts, keep yourself signed out of your Google account whenever possible (and Samsung as well, if you use Samsung phones); only log into those accounts when you absolutely need to, and then immediately log back out. Double-check app permissions every time there's an update to your phone OR system apps; make sure that apps have the absolute bare minimum permissions they require. If you use system apps such as the default phone/SMS tools, look into alternatives such as Fossify Phone and QUIK (an SMS alternative). Oh, and if I can recommend a phenomenal gallery app, try Aves Libre
The list goes on, but those are some basic suggestions. As for iPhone, there's not as much that you can do due to Apple's walled garden, but there are still some solid open source alternatives to system apps that can help you reduce some of Apple's telemetry.
As for apps, tools and suggestions, I have loads but the easiest is definitely just to switch browsers & search engines. These days, I personally find Brave Search to be way better than any of the other alternatives, especially if you keep their AI summarizer enabled. You can also start using tools like Freetube on PC and Newpipe (or Grayjay) on Android whenever you want to watch Youtube. There are also great alternatives to YT such as Odysee, which are great to watch if any of the creators you follow are uploading there.
I'd also say that when it comes to less private options (stock Android, Windows, that sort of thing), there are ways you can at least reduce the surface that the companies have to harvest data from you. For example, in Windows, you can use tools like O&O ShutUp10 to forcefully disable a lot of telemetry. You can block MS telemetry domains via hosts.txt and even the default Windows firewall. There are also tools such as Safing's Portmaster, which is effectively an advanced firewall dedicated to increasing security and locking down as much data harvesting as possible.
And in terms of Android, my biggest suggestion is to side-load F-Droid (or Droid-ify, which is a better version of F-Droid) and then install two apps: Shizuku, and then Canta. Shizuku allows you to effectively simulate root access without having to root your phone; it's not perfect but it does give you a lot more control over installing/uninstalling stuff. Then, as for Canta, that app functions as a means of forcefully uninstalling any bloatware or spyware that you don't want to be on there. It does so safely, so that you're less likely to brick your phone (especially if you restrict it to recommended and safe uninstalls) and even if you mess something up, a factory reset will always work fine, unlike rooted options.
Other tips: install Aurora Store via F-Droid, which allows you to install apps from the Play Store without having to be signed in. Speaking of accounts, keep yourself signed out of your Google account whenever possible (and Samsung as well, if you use Samsung phones); only log into those accounts when you absolutely need to, and then immediately log back out. Double-check app permissions every time there's an update to your phone OR system apps; make sure that apps have the absolute bare minimum permissions they require. If you use system apps such as the default phone/SMS tools, look into alternatives such as Fossify Phone and QUIK (an SMS alternative). Oh, and if I can recommend a phenomenal gallery app, try Aves Libre
The list goes on, but those are some basic suggestions. As for iPhone, there's not as much that you can do due to Apple's walled garden, but there are still some solid open source alternatives to system apps that can help you reduce some of Apple's telemetry.