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submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year 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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[-] cranberryjam@lemmy.blahaj.zone 85 points 1 year ago

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 21 points 1 year ago

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 53 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/

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[-] CrypticCoffee@lemm.ee 42 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

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

[-] MajesticFlame@lemmy.one 9 points 1 year ago
[-] CCatMan@lemmy.one 6 points 1 year ago

What NFC payment options were available on there?

[-] bug@lemmy.one 14 points 1 year ago

Tape your bank card to the back of your phone

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[-] CrypticCoffee@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

To use my bank card separately, because proving less data to my phone (previously on Android) was a sensible plan.

[-] JohnEdwa@kbin.social 38 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.

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[-] Hyperreality@kbin.social 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

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.

[-] NaibofTabr@infosec.pub 17 points 1 year ago

No, we don't have to accept that privacy is dead. We need to learn to control the technology around us.

This podcast covers this topic in depth with a lot of practical instruction for what you can do to manage your privacy and security: The Privacy, Security, and OSINT Show

[-] inverimus@lemm.ee 31 points 1 year ago

I have a Pixel 7 and it isn't installed.

[-] bouncing@partizle.com 10 points 1 year ago

Of course not. Google is a competitor to Facebook.

But much of the long tail of Android phones bundle Facebook shovelware.

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[-] fisco@lemmy.ml 30 points 1 year ago

I always, disable or remove anything to do with Facebook or Meta, & lots of other crap, as a first sweep of a new phone or installation..๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

[-] pacjo@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

One more reason to use a custom ROM. Death to the bloat!

[-] Raildrake@vlemmy.net 23 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the heads up, fuck this bloat/spyware shit.

[-] DishonestBirb@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago

Shit like this is why I use a DeGoogled phone. Get a Pixel and install GrapheneOS or CalyxOS and use open source apps wherever you can, and sandbox any Google Play apps you have to use (banking, etc).

[-] jungle@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

Pixel phones don't have this app. It's not Google adding it to the OS.

[-] priapus@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 year ago

I don't think they were implying that it was. Pixel phones don't have this, but they have loads of other methods of stealing your data. Ungoogled ROMs are focused on complete privacy, not just from google.

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[-] lemann@lemmy.one 21 points 1 year ago

Fairphone 3, don't have it ๐Ÿ‘Œ

[-] hunt4peas@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago

Xiaomi 11 Lite NE 5G on PixelOS, also don't have it.

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[-] oryx@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

One of the pros of using a Pixel! Absolutely no bloat on my previous 4a or my current 7 besides a T-Mobile app that was installed because of my SIM card. Uninstalled that and I was golden.

[-] schizoidman@lemmy.ml 22 points 1 year ago

Unless you don't consider google software bloat.

[-] Zyansheep@lemmy.fmhy.ml 13 points 1 year ago

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

[-] independantiste@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Honestly, if I have the choice, I will choose Google to keep my data over Facebook/meta. While they will do the same stuff with it, at least they give me good products in exchange for my personal life. I also think Google is more transparent about how they collect their data and they let you pretty easily opt out of most of the very intrusive stuff. I also trust their security a whole lot more than Meta's as they are pretty innovative in that space (like with webauthn)

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[-] LeHappStick@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

All the phones I've had come with bloatware like this, I currently have a Xiaomi phone and MIUI itself is bloatware, the ROM is full of ads. Thankfully there is an "adb" software for Xiaomi phones that allows you to disable or remove this pre-installed malware.

Of the cheap Samsung, LG and huawei phones that I've had they also come with random bs pre-installed that can't be uninstalled without the help of third party software.

[-] fenndev@fedia.io 14 points 1 year ago

adb stands for "Android Debug Bridge" and it's an Android tool, not specific to Xiaomi.

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[-] Zeth0s@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

I have a pixel, no Facebook apps installed

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[-] people_are_cute@lemmy.sdf.org 14 points 1 year ago

This is why I avoid Samsung like the plague. Chinese brands atleast let you swap the stock ROM with whatever you like, with minimal effort.

[-] marcyiu@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 1 year ago

For those that aren't aware, Universal Android Debloater is a great tool to uninstall/disable bloatware.

It lists out all potential bloatware found on your device and you could disable them with a mouse click. I always use it to debloat my new devices.

[-] Virkkunen@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

The problem with this app is that it's very liberal on its definition of bloatware. Specially on Samsung devices, it considers bloatware and marks for disable/uninstall many critical apps, including the dialer

[-] marcyiu@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 1 year ago

Quite true that it recommends removing a lot of the apps, but we could always select and remove those we are sure we wouldn't need.

I personally don't and also wouldn't recommend selecting all of the apps on the recommended list and removing them all.

The author provides comments on most if not all of the apps stating it's use and whether it's safe to remove, and it's the very reason why I like the app.

[-] darcy@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago

consider grapheneos. i use it and its been great

[-] solidgrue@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Updoot from LineageOS land!

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[-] PrivacyAdvocate28@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago

absolute bloatware, i just uninstalled this a few days ago

[-] Kururin@talk.kururin.tech 8 points 1 year ago

Why am I not surprised

[-] Relected@lemmy.kya.moe 8 points 1 year ago

used to have one on my phone, thank god I switched to a custom ROM, shit feels 1000% better than stock

[-] MDKAOD@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

Not installed on Pixel 5a (with Facebook app) or 6a

[-] Steeve@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 year ago

Some phones used to come with Facebook pre-installed, it's probably from that. Don't get a Samsung lol

[-] valpackett@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 1 year ago

Why can't I find any articles about decompiling and researching this one? :(

[-] GreyFalcon@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

thanks for the heads up.

[-] TrojanHam@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

I find using a combination of AdAway and AFWall+ on android to be effective in blocking a lot of stuff. I run as root.

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this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2023
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