this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2023

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Meta Services, Sorry WHAT!? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by grilled_chesse_eater@lemmy.world to c/privacyguides@lemmy.one

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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.

all 15 comments

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[–] cranberryjam@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If it can't be uninstalled, try using adb commands from a computer to remove it. I got rid of a bunch of preinstalled stuff on my phone that way.

[–] MrCamel999@programming.dev 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can you possibly go more in depth or provide a source that goes more in depth on how to do this? Very interested in doing this

[–] ascallion@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Here you go. Hardest part is probably installing adb, there's a more detailed page linked to that in step 2.

https://www.xda-developers.com/uninstall-carrier-oem-bloatware-without-root-access/

[–] JohnEdwa@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

Blame the phone manufacturer, they are the ones that took the bribe to put it there just like with every other bundled crapware.

[–] CrypticCoffee@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Now on GrapheneOS on the Pixel 6a. One of the best decisions I made :)

[–] CCatMan@lemmy.one 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What NFC payment options were available on there?

[–] bug@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Tape your bank card to the back of your phone

[–] RGB3x3@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

NFC payments do have the benefit of not providing your card information to the vendor. It only provides a token to the vendor.

[–] bug@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago

Ah, that's a good point. Tape someone else's card to the back of your phone!

[–] algorithmae@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago

Outlook does the same thing with Exchange services. It would kill my battery in a matter of hours

[–] Hyperreality@kbin.social 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's not unlikely to be an NSA thing which allows them to access everthing. That sounds paranoid, but Snowden happened so we know they were doing stuff like this 10 years ago:

DROPOUTJEEP .... "A software implant for the Apple iPhone that utilizes modular mission applications to provide specific SIGINT functionality. This functionality includes the ability to remotely push/pull files from the device. SMS retrieval, contact list retrieval, voicemail, geolocation, hot mic, camera capture, cell tower location, etc. Command, control and data exfiltration can occur over SMS messaging or a GPRS data connection. All communications with the implant will be covert and encrypted."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANT_catalog

To be honest, I think we just have to accept privacy is dead. The only real choice that remains is whether to regularly teabag our phones on on the off chance someone's looking.

[+] Candybar121@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

[deleted]

[–] unceme@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I run a degoogled Pixel 6A with GrapheneOS and Linux on my desktop. I logged in to Google once on my phone and still haven't logged in a single time on my desktop. I don't use any of the gsuite apps.

I don't think the average person should or could reasonably do this. Google is so closely ingrained in society that removing it from your life requires a significant amount of effort to make sure you can still have as much of the stuff you need to participate in society as possible. Some of that stuff just doesn't exist now without Google.

I'm glad that the software and tools and resources exist to de-google yourself for those that want to but its just not an option for most people.

[–] TooTallSol@kbin.social 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Some of that stuff just doesn’t exist now without Google.

I disagree. EVERYTHING Google offers has some sort of alternative. Will it take more effort? Sure. But I have been Google free for over 2 years now and I have not once been unable to do anything because Google has some imagined exclusivity.

Start here for apps
CalyxOS
GrapheneOS

And for the diehard there's the Fairphone

[–] unceme@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago

I'm typing this message on GrapheneOS. My point isn't that it's completely impossible but rather that degoogling basically has to become your hobby in order to fully do it. It requires a level of effort that's not practical for the average person so its unreasonable to expect everyone to do it. Also, FOSS and non-google alternatives are often not as good as the service google provides for free, like Google Maps. I use OSMAnd as my daily maps app, but its pretty finnicky and isn't anywhere close to the smooth, polished experience of Google Maps, and its lacking some important functionality. I still use it, because I'm committed to trying to avoid Google software as much as possible, but its definitely not the best experience.

Also, a lot of institutions andemployers use the G-Suite and so its impoesible for people that have to do business with those organizations to be entirely free of google. My university uses the G-Suite and when school comes back in the fall I'll be stuck using it again. The local school district does too.