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).
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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
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Outlook does the same thing with Exchange services. It would kill my battery in a matter of hours
Unacceptable
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.
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
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.
This is why it’s so nice to use CalyxOS. All the functionality of an Android with none of the crap and minimal bloat.
Thanks for sharing. Had no clue and just went and disabled all 3 of these apps of theirs
Samsung (in the UK) doesn’t seem to have it.
Is this a US problem?
No ,iam in a European country and one of my phones had it.
I think its specific to devices. Ive never seen this before on samsungs in the us
Thanks for the heads up!
Just disabled this and a few other “Meta services” apps for “app download” and all the other nonsense…
Unfortunately using a bloated S23 at the moment but toying with getting a P7 Pro 🤦🏼♀️
Why can’t I find any articles about decompiling and researching this one? :(
Is that an RSS reader for Meta products?
Yes, but you’re the source of their feed
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.
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.
Unless you don’t consider google software bloat.
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.
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)
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.
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.
With pixel you can install grapheneos and have no bloat! (or optionally sandboxed bloat)
True, but most of it is useful and not useless games and shit. Google tracking me is better than Meta, I suppose.
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.
Some phones used to come with Facebook pre-installed, it’s probably from that. Don’t get a Samsung lol
consider grapheneos. i use it and its been great
If they’re using a phone with Meta services pre-installed, it won’t support GrapheneOS
true (i think). i bought a pixel to use grapheneos
Updoot from LineageOS land!
based :) how r u liking it? i considered it but didnt want the risk of bricking my phone
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
yeah the hardware support is a big difference to graphene.
One more reason to use a custom ROM. Death to the bloat!
Does this count only for NA or EU too? I can’t believe it gets installed automatically without the user’s consent.
I’m in EU and have a phone from (not mine) carrier plan, it was installed on it
I’ve seen it on several phones in the EU, but I don’t know about NA.
it’s in NA too, disabled that shit ages ago