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This morning a customer told me that the new Samsung Galaxy S25 (and probably also the previous ones – but I hadn't noticed this on my S24) run, by default, a background service called "Meta Services," which belongs to Meta. And it runs even if you don't have any Meta apps, as it's the result of an agreement between the two companies. I don't have any information about this – does anyone know more?

#Samsung #Android #Privacy

#privacy #samsung #android
in reply to Stefano Marinelli

Ninad Pundalik
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Ninad Pundalik
• •
on an s23, can confirm that the service exists. I can see that notifications are blocked, but I haven't disabled it. Fixing that now
in reply to Stefano Marinelli

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •

Motorola here and this thing is indeed installed.

Despite been disabled, some android updates install the facebook app by itself. Too bad that there's no custom ROM for this model 🙁

Piece of a phone screenshot showing a list with 3 meta apps and services installed

Shannon Prickett reshared this.

in reply to Michel 🇧🇷

Stefano Marinelli
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Stefano Marinelli
• •
@michel I don't understand why people should be forced to run Meta services if they're not running Meta software - but this is the same for all the companies.
@Michel 🇧🇷

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in reply to Michel 🇧🇷

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
@michel It could be because Meta is subsidizing the cost of the phone somehow, which means they get carte blanche access to these phones and can't be removed. This is why I always go for unlocked phones when possible, so I can wipe such crap if it's in there already.
@Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

Stefano Marinelli
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Stefano Marinelli
• •
@claudiom @michel In Italy they're all unlocked and sold at full price. So I don't expect to pay 1700 euros for a phone and still see those services running. I still have my S24 Ultra - I'll have a look at it later today
@ClaudioM @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to Stefano Marinelli

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
Oh man, that is a problem, but if it's unlocked, then you should be able to reset the device and even remove the app somehow. What if you were to use something like Lineage OS or another ROM that wouldn't have this preinstalled? @michel
@Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •
@claudiom I'll look into uninstalling this (some adb magic, maybe) but this model isn't supported by custom ROMs (damn mediatek chip)
@ClaudioM
in reply to Stefano Marinelli

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •
@claudiom here too. I bought mine directly from the motorola website. This deal is at the manufacturer level
@ClaudioM
in reply to Michel 🇧🇷

Parade du Grotesque 💀
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Parade du Grotesque 💀
• •

@michel @claudiom

And if you buy those phones from a Telecom company, you often have the crap from the phone company on top of Meta BS... And TikTok. 🤦

@ClaudioM @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to Parade du Grotesque 💀

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •
@ParadeGrotesque @claudiom this one have the "let's finish your configuration" and try to install loads of crap (like stupid games). They're so sneaky that you have to pay very close attention while setting the phone up
@ClaudioM @Parade du Grotesque 💀
in reply to Parade du Grotesque 💀

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
@ParadeGrotesque Yes, this has been my usual experience. Sure, they sell them "unlocked," but because of agreements, they include them on the phone to make the phone slightly cheaper than buying it directly. Yet, @michel @stefano have said they purchased this from the handset maker directly.
@Stefano Marinelli @Parade du Grotesque 💀 @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

Parade du Grotesque 💀
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Parade du Grotesque 💀
• •

@claudiom @michel
And if you buy a Google pixel, you only get Google BS.

I am looking at Jolla, sailfish and Maemo right now, but there is so much lock-in in what I already use... ☹️

shop.jolla.com/details/d8a71f1…

Jolla shop

shop.jolla.com
@ClaudioM @Michel 🇧🇷

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Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •
@ParadeGrotesque @claudiom my main concern is the gov and banking apps. The rest is easy. Google is getting worse and I try to clean up my phones the best I can, but the only "real" alternative is apple =/
@ClaudioM @Parade du Grotesque 💀
in reply to Michel 🇧🇷

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
@michel Yeah, I hate that everything is moving to app-based, as if we still don't use proper computers today. :flan_eyeroll:​ I guess it's good that we can still load the desktop versions of sites to get by the mobile site restrictions to push to an app. @ParadeGrotesque @stefano
@Stefano Marinelli @Parade du Grotesque 💀 @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •

@claudiom @ParadeGrotesque to use my bank website to access my account, I have to validate it using the app on my phone 🫠

We are trapped

@ClaudioM @Parade du Grotesque 💀
in reply to Parade du Grotesque 💀

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •

@ParadeGrotesque @michel
Especially Google BS like this that you have to deal with...

kind.social/@EnfysBook/1139581…

Enfys J. Book [they/them]

2025-02-06 17:35:18

mastodon - Link to source

If you use Signal, Discord, or any other messaging app and you DON'T want Google or Apple monitoring/reading/learning from your messages, follow these steps.

Android:
1. Open Google app
2. Tap your profile photo
3. Settings
4. Google Assistant
5. "Your Apps"
6. Choose the app (e.g., Signal)
7. Toggle "Let your assistant learn from this app" off

iPhone:
1. Settings
2. Apps
3. Choose the app (e.g., Signal)
4. Toggle Apple intelligence or Siri settings to off (“learn from this app”)


@Parade du Grotesque 💀 @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •
@claudiom @ParadeGrotesque that's why I don't have the Google app the (now useless) assistant. Obviously it is stressful to always have to keep looking for the new "features" that are imposed to us
@ClaudioM @Parade du Grotesque 💀
in reply to Michel 🇧🇷

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
@michel I don't use Google Assistant, but it seems to be activated depending on how many times I touch my earbud controls. For this reason, I'm disabling that "learning" on all of my apps. Naturally, there's no bulk disable option provided by Google, so you have to do it one by one. Even if I'm not using it according to my Google account, I don't want it learning anything from my apps even if it's supposedly disabled. @ParadeGrotesque @stefano
@Stefano Marinelli @Parade du Grotesque 💀 @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to Parade du Grotesque 💀

staringatclouds
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staringatclouds
• •

@ParadeGrotesque

But if you buy a Google Pixel

You can wipe it & install GrapheneOS instead

grapheneos.org/

It's secure, runs Android apps & doesn't have any corporate BS

I believe it'll run on other phones too, not sure which ones tho

@claudiom @michel @stefano


GrapheneOS: the private and secure mobile OS

GrapheneOS is a security and privacy focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility.
GrapheneOS
@ClaudioM @Stefano Marinelli @Parade du Grotesque 💀 @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to staringatclouds

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •

Yes, I think @stefano is already running that on his Pixel, but AFAIK it only runs on Pixel phones. @ParadeGrotesque @michel

EDIT: This confirms that it only runs on Pixel devices.

grapheneos.org/faq#supported-d…


GrapheneOS Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about GrapheneOS.
GrapheneOS
@Stefano Marinelli @Parade du Grotesque 💀 @Michel 🇧🇷
This entry was edited (2 months ago)
in reply to Parade du Grotesque 💀

tipjip
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tipjip
• •

@ParadeGrotesque

@claudiom @michel @stefano

If you got at pixel you can take a look at grapheneos.org/.

Works fine, is privacy centric. Some restrictions apply, though.


GrapheneOS: the private and secure mobile OS

GrapheneOS is a security and privacy focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility.
GrapheneOS
@ClaudioM @Stefano Marinelli @Parade du Grotesque 💀 @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •
@claudiom unfortunately we don't have pixels here to use graphene os (the ones you can get are "imported" and cost as much as a flagship, even the 7)
@ClaudioM
in reply to Michel 🇧🇷

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
@michel There are other ROMs that can be used if the phone is unlocked. Just a matter of finding out if the phone is supported. LineageOS should work for the most part as it seems to be the go-to for alternate Android ROMs. @stefano
@Stefano Marinelli @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

D.Hamlin.Music
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D.Hamlin.Music
• •
@claudiom @michel Samsung devices sold in the US have a locked bootloader, all phones sold by AT&T and Verizon Wireless will also be locked for all brands, along with those from many of the virtual carriers.
@ClaudioM @Michel 🇧🇷

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ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
@dhamlinmusic Ah, good to know. Though, wouldn't one be able to unlock the bootloader? Granted, that means losing whatever's on the phone at that time, but if it's a brand new phone that's not been used yet, I guess it wouldn't matter. :flan_think:​ @michel @stefano
@Stefano Marinelli @D.Hamlin.Music @Michel 🇧🇷
in reply to ClaudioM

Reid
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Reid
• •

I think they meant “not unlockable”

All Android phones come with a locked bootloader, but not all allow unlocking it. US Samsung phones are infamous for that, same with Huawei

in reply to Reid

ClaudioM
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ClaudioM
• •
@Reiddragon Ah, yeah, you're right. I forgot that some phones don't allow the bootloader to be unlocked. :flan_disappointed:​ @dhamlinmusic @michel @stefano
@Stefano Marinelli @D.Hamlin.Music @Reid @Michel 🇧🇷
Unknown parent

Stephen Borrill
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Stephen Borrill
• •
@energisch_ It's not on OnePlus Nord 4. Facebook the app was pre-installed, but could be uninstalled, not just disabled
@Mensch, Marina
Unknown parent

Stefano Marinelli
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Stefano Marinelli
• •
@energisch_ It seems that many brands are providing this "service"
@Mensch, Marina
Unknown parent

Michel 🇧🇷
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Michel 🇧🇷
• •
@jalefkowit @claudiom my S10 was like that. You could only disable it
@ClaudioM @Jason Lefkowitz
in reply to Stefano Marinelli

Alex
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Alex
• •
I've got a 2018 Samsung model, those services aren't present there.
Unknown parent

fedops 💙💛
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fedops 💙💛
• •

@CppGuy I'm also not surprised. These things are the result of "cooperation deals" on high levels. One of the reasons I wouldn't buy any of the mainstream Android manufacturers' products.

You can relatively easily find out what your new device is up to by wiresharking your internet uplink.
@stefano

@Stefano Marinelli @C++ Wage Slave