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.

  • CranberryJam@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    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.

  • JohnEdwa@kbin.social
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    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.

  • scoobford@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    Ugh, stuff like this is why I bought a pixel. I got an s23 for “free” from T-Mobile, and it was so infested with spyware and bloat that even android debloater couldn’t get it all.

    GrapheneOS has basically made it all worthwhile. I do with I could have multiple (more than 2) profiles though.

    • Percy@lemmy.one
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      1 year ago

      The one gripe I have with grapheme is I can’t get images to be received through or sent through MMS. I constantly get sent images by my family with questions and they hate using share in google photos. Even republic wireless support couldn’t help me

      • scoobford@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        In most apps, there’s several settings you can change to try and fix that. If you ever want to try it again, try using qksms (or another good alternative at the time), and playing with the settings.

        I had the exact same issue with signal on my last phone.

  • Ducks@ducks.dev
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    1 year ago

    Thanks for sharing. Had no clue and just went and disabled all 3 of these apps of theirs

  • Hyperreality@kbin.social
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    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.

      • unceme@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        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
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          1 year ago

          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
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            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.

  • Agin@forum.basedcount.com
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    1 year ago

    This is why it’s so nice to use CalyxOS. All the functionality of an Android with none of the crap and minimal bloat.

  • oryx@lemmy.world
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    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.

      • Indépendantiste (old)@lemmy.world
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        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)

        • ilickfrogs@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          That’s always been my only reason for holding google to a different standard. I know what data they harvest and see really clever optimizations and tailored experiences for me on their services. I actively see the benefit of my data being collected as the end user. I’ve ever felt that with meta products.

      • peregus@lemmy.world
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        1 year 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.

      • HRDS_654@lemmy.world
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        1 year 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.

  • fisco™🇬🇧🇺🇦@lemmy.ml
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    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…👍🏼

  • people_are_cute@lemmy.sdf.org
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    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.

  • DishonestBirb@lemmy.world
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    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).

    • null@slrpnk.net
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      1 year ago

      If they’re using a phone with Meta services pre-installed, it won’t support GrapheneOS

        • SolidGrue@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I like it because it stays out of my way, for the most part. I’ve been a modder sinve the Cyanogen days, and the windows.phones before that. I like lineage because it’s just a stock android experience with decent permissions management and support for phones I like to buy.

          Gettng GPay and bank apps working can be a bit of a To Do, but there’s a lot of support over at XDA for that when you run into weirdness. 5 stars, will flash again

  • algorithmae@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

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