How to live without Facebook

Service to replace: Facebook

Diaspora is a software to manage a decentralized and secure social network application. Created in 2010, the Diaspora* project aims to provide similar functionalities to Facebook-like services on the basis of a decentralized system that allows Diaspora "nodes" (instances) scattered throughout the world to communicate together. Each participant can thus communicate with the others regardless of the instance on which he is registered. Because of this, anyone can host their own instance: individuals, companies, associations, communities...

Also worth mentioning: Minds, Friendica and Movim

Service to replace: Facebook news feed

I personally use X for my news feed. But for those of you who don't trust Twitter or simply don't want to use it, one of the best solutions is to use RSS. It's a news aggregator protocol that allows you to follow the websites and news outlets that you like without all the ads and clutter. The best part is RSS doesn’t decide what you do or don’t see, everything arrives chronologically (unlike Facebook). Feedly is probably the most popular RSS reader but there are plenty of others.

Also worth mentioning: Tiny Tiny RSS, Reeder and Reddit

Service to replace: Messenger

As Google’s messaging apps lineup is a real mess right now (Hangouts is good but rarely used and we don't want to use that), and with Facebook in charge of Instagram and WhatsApp, the other genuine alternatives are Signal and Telegram. I prefer the former for its security (unlike Telegram), stronger encryption, and the fact that it's fully open-source.

Also worth mentioning: Briar, Tox and

Service to replace: Instagram

PixelFed is a decentralized and federated image sharing software under development. In addition to replicating Instagram's features, the functioning of PixelFed is:

• Decentralized: Each instance can track one or more other PixelFed instances to allow their respective members to interact. A first public body pixelfed.social limited to 10,000 members has already been created.

• Federated: Via the ActivityPub protocol, PixelFed can interact with other software that are part of the Fediverse, such as Mastodon or PeerTube for example.

It is also possible to import your data from Instagram.

Also worth mentioning: Flickr and 500px

Service to replace: WhatsApp

Wire is an open-source and secure cross-platform instant messaging application that allows you to chat with your contacts and also share and exchange images and videos with support for making voice and video calls. All your conversations are synchronized in real time on each device with the Wire application for Android or iPhone, as well as on your desktop computer.

Also worth mentioning: Threema, ChatSecure and Signal

Service to replace: Facebook Local and Facebook Events

One of Facebook's most used features is undoubtedly Events. Whether you want to organize your next birthday or look for events near you while on holiday, Facebook Events is pretty great. But since we're ditching Facebook, let's take a look at the competition. Meetup is a platform designed to find and create local communities. People use Meetup to meet new people, learn new things, find support, get out of their comfort zone, and live their passion together.

Also worth mentioning: Meetup, Framadate, Doodle and Get Together

Service to replace: Facebook Groups

Zulip is a group chat app that combines the immediacy of real-time chat with an email threading model. With Zulip, you can catch up on important conversations while ignoring irrelevant ones. The features are impressive. Conversations in one-to-one, in group, notifications, history, search in it, emoji support and especially a nice API with already a lot of third party services.

Also: Mobilize, Slack and Discord

Service to replace: Facebook Marketplace

Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, resumes, and discussion forums. It was created in 1995 and is today one of the most visited websites in the world (19th most visited website in the USA and 119th in the world according to Alexa).

Also worth mentioning: OfferUp, Shpock and eBay