The service allows you to import your existing data from Google.
Proton operates under Swiss law, which is strict with privacy.
Proton, the cybersecurity company that offers email, VPN and bitcoin wallet services, began what they call “de-googling” by offering a set of tools similar to those of the technology giant Google, but focused on the privacy granted by Swiss legislation. .
These tools include Proton Mail and Proton Drive, an email inbox and cloud storage service for the price of one dollar, although only for the first month.
Users who access the subscription Proton Privacy Unlimited They will get all the services of the platform: email, calendar, cloud storage (drive), virtual private network (VPN) and a password manager and encryptor. Proton Mail can be purchased separatelyjust like each of the rest of the services.
Use Proton Mail to send private emails, Proton Drive to securely store documents and photos, and Proton VPN to browse without tracking. With end-to-end encryption and no ads, your data stays in your hands, not Google’s.
Proton, cybersecurity company.
Importing data stored in Google into Proton Privacy tools was demonstrably simple. It consisted of logging in with the Google account in Proton Mail and accepting the requested permissions, after which The emails received from here in the Gmail account begin to arrive in the new tray.
To renew after the first month, users will have to pay USD 12.99. While Proton Privacy has a cost and most Google services do not, the user must weigh between the two.
On the one hand, one that is free but increases the footprint of personal data on the Internet; and on the other, an expensive one, but focused on privacy as a default right.
Is Proton a true privacy alternative to Google?
Among other things, Proton implements end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption in its services. Due to its compliance with Swiss legislation, the data it collects from users does not go to the cloud. This means that their storage is local, which keeps them under the control of the Swiss jurisdiction, which is strict regarding privacy. According to Proton, their VPN service follows a no-logging policy, meaning they store less activity data than Google might.
According to ProtonVPN, Swiss law prohibits companies based in Switzerland from sharing information with foreign law enforcement authorities under penalty of criminal penalties.
In itself, the Swiss constitution explicitly contemplates respect for privacy: “everyone has the right to privacy in their private and family life and in their home, as well as in relation to their mail and telecommunications,” it mentions. he article 14.
Is Google dangerous for privacy?
It is known that Google intensively tracks and records user behavior on the Internet. Collects data such as search history, location, personal information and browsing habits.
This data is used to display personalized advertisements, that Google can use to prioritize and favor its own services over those of the competition. In fact, Google has been fined precisely for this reason with 2,424 million dollars.
A service model based on user data entails high risks, leaving aside monopolism in the supply of services. At the scale at which Google stores information, any bankruptcy or data breach, no matter how small, can seriously affect the lives of real people.
According to Proton, “Google makes money by collecting your personal data to send you targeted advertising: it tracks what you search for, the content of your emails and even where you have your afternoon coffee. By switching to Proton, you can regain your privacy and free yourself from the prying eyes of big technology companies,” states the cybersecurity company.
Proton and Google differ due to their governance
The Proton Privacy toolset, on the other hand, is built on a different model. For starters, all of Proton’s activities are overseen by the Proton Foundation, a Swiss non-profit organization that has no shareholders.
Its technologies are also open source, and some are carried out together with the Proton Community. This is a community capable of accompanying, criticizing and proposing improvements and functions, as well as improving open source.
Likewise, Proton Privacy services respect the swiss data protection law (FADP). This law is based on principles that allow the collection of personal data, as long as it is for “specific purposes that are recognizable to the interested party.”
These data “must be further processed in a manner compatible with these purposes.” More importantly, The law contemplates the destruction of data or its anonymization as soon as they are no longer necessary for the purposes described.
