Everyday Privacy for Everyone: A Curated Guide to Accessible and Secure Digital Tools

In our increasingly digital world, "Everyday Privacy for Everyone: A Curated Guide to Accessible and Secure Digital Tools" serves as a vital resource, demystifying the task of safeguarding one’s digital footprint. Tailored for both the tech-savvy and the average user desiring to protect their online presence without delving into complex technicalities, this guide meticulously curates a selection of privacy-focused, user-friendly tools. From privacy-centric desktop and mobile operating systems, secure web browsers, and VPN services, to encrypted email services, office software, cloud storage solutions, password managers, DNS services, and productivity tools—each recommendation champions privacy, security, and ease of use. Aimed at a diverse audience including parents, educators, professionals, students, and casual internet users, this guide empowers you to embrace digital tools that respect privacy without compromising on convenience or functionality, paving the way for a more secure digital experience in an accessible, straightforward manner.

Desktop Operating Systems

• Ubuntu: A popular Linux distribution known for its security, privacy, and open-source nature. Ubuntu comes with built-in virus protection and firewall, making it one of the most secure operating systems around. It's free to download, use, and share, emphasizing the power of open-source software. More details can be found at https://ubuntu.com/download

Mobile Operating Systems

• /e/OS stands out for its privacy-centric approach, offering a deGoogled Android experience. It features an Advanced Privacy module that protects users from application tracking, allows for faking geolocation, and IP addresses. /e/OS includes a suite of default apps focused on privacy and provides a free Murena cloud account with 1GB of storage. More detailed information can be found on e Foundation's official site.

Web Browsers

• Firefox: A web browser that prioritizes user privacy. With features like Tracking Protection, Firefox blocks many elements that could track your activity across websites. It can be customized with privacy extensions for enhanced security. Visit Mozilla Firefox for more info.
• LibreWolf: This browser is a fork of Firefox, focusing on privacy enhancements. LibreWolf aims to minimize data collection and telemetry as much as possible while providing a functional web browsing experience. More about LibreWolf can be found at https://librewolf.net.

VPNs

• TOR: The Onion Router is a free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication. By directing Internet traffic through a free, worldwide, volunteer overlay network consisting of more than seven thousand relays, TOR prevents people from learning your location or browsing habits. More details at https://www.torproject.org.
• Mullvad: A VPN service that helps keep your online activity, identity, and location private. Mullvad respects your privacy and has been designed to not keep any logs of any kind. Visit https://mullvad.net for more information.
• AirVPN: A VPN based on OpenVPN and operated by activists and hacktivists in defence of net neutrality, privacy, and against censorship. A comprehensive setup guide and more information are available at https://airvpn.org.

Email Services

• Thunderbird: An open-source email client developed by Mozilla Foundation, Thunderbird is free and customizable, with privacy features like encryption and phishing protection. Visit https://www.thunderbird.net for details.
• Proton Mail: Offers encrypted email which makes it virtually impossible for anyone to read it except the sender and the recipient. Website: https://protonmail.com.

Office Software

• LibreOffice: A powerful office suite that's fully compatible with Microsoft Office, Word Perfect, Lotus and other office applications. It's free and open source. More details at https://www.libreoffice.org.
• Collabora: A LibreOffice-based office suite designed for enterprises, offering professional support and features such as collaborative editing. More information at https://www.collaboraoffice.com.
• OnlyOffice: An office suite that provides a web-based document editing environment compatible with MS Office formats. Find out more at https://www.onlyoffice.com.

Cloud Storage

• Nextcloud: A suite of client-server software for creating and using file hosting services. Nextcloud is free and open-source, which allows anyone to install and operate it on a private server. Visit https://nextcloud.com for more information.
• pCloud: A cloud storage provider offering comprehensive easy-to-use cloud storage solutions for individuals and businesses. More details can be found at https://www.pcloud.com.

Password Managers

• Bitwarden (Vaultwarden for self-hosting): An open-source password management solution that can store and synchronize passwords across devices. Bitwarden's official website is https://bitwarden.com. For self-hosting, Vaultwarden (an unofficial Bitwarden server implementation) information can be found on GitHub.
• KeePassXC: A free and open-source password manager, which helps you to manage your passwords securely. You can keep your passwords safely encrypted on your computer. Visit https://keepassxc.org.

DNS Services

• Quad9: A free, recursive, anycast DNS platform that provides end users robust security protections, high-performance, and privacy. More information at https://www.quad9.net.
• AdGuard: Offers DNS services aimed at blocking ads, tracking, and phishing, with a focus on privacy and security. Visit https://adguard.com/en/adguard-dns/overview.html for details.

Productivity Tools

• Joplin: An open-source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organized into notebooks. Notes are searchable and can be copied, tagged, and modified. Visit https://joplinapp.org for more information.