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submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by grilled_chesse_eater@lemmy.world to c/privacyguides@lemmy.one

Meta/Facebook preinstalls an app called Meta Services (previously Facebook services) on a very large percentage of android devices (I've never used one without it) and while they claim it helps updates and synchronisation between different meta apps, it is very suspicious. Why preinstall it on devices of people who will potentialy never use a single meta app?

Go to your app list/app management and show system apps and find anything with the words "meta" or "Facebook" then turn off network access for those apps (if you can) and disable them. (eg. Meta app manager, Meta app installer).

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/meta-services-an-android-app-or-not/

https://fixyourandroid.com/about/facebook-app-manager/

https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyS20FE/comments/ttmx4t/meta_services/

Edit: Looking around I have found several people complaining that this app is using their ram for 10 hours a day even though they don't use anything Meta. That's even more suspicious.

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[-] schizoidman@lemmy.ml 25 points 10 months ago

Unless you don't consider google software bloat.

[-] Zyansheep@lemmy.fmhy.ml 15 points 10 months ago

With pixel you can install grapheneos and have no bloat! (or optionally sandboxed bloat)

[-] peregus@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

Well, using Samsung (and whatever other brands) smartphone you my have Samsung spying on you (because he can install whatever he wants) AND Google because he provides Samsung the OS. With a Pixel phone, you're spied only by Google.

[-] oryx@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

True, but most of it is useful and not useless games and shit. Google tracking me is better than Meta, I suppose.

[-] dfc09@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

I agree, at least with Google you get maps, timeline, a password manager, photos, drive, an entire suite of Microsoft office-like software, streamlined 2FA on my pixel phone (just pops up on screen, no text or email needs sending), etc. If I have to strike a deal with a devil, I may as well choose the useful devil.

[-] HRDS_654@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

While technically it is, it mostly depends on whether you use Google products. I use some of them, but not all of them so the ones I don't use I still consider bloat personally. Regardless of how I feel about it though anything pre-installed that you can't uninstall is bloat and Samsung, in my experience, is the fucking worst I've used.

this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2023
463 points (100.0% liked)

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