Samsung Users Can't Delete Facebook, making it crapware to users who don't need it
Facebook has inked an unknown number of agreements with Android smartphone makers, mobile carriers and OSes around the world to not only pre-load Facebook’s eponymous app on hardware but render the software *undeleteable*; a permanent feature of your device, whether you like how the company’s app can track your every move and digital action or not. Bloomberg spoke to a U.S. owner of a Samsung Galaxy S8 who, after reading forum discussions about Samsung devices, found his own pre-loaded Facebook <https://crunchbase.com/organization/facebook>app could not be removed. It could only be “disabled,” with no explanation available to him as to what exactly that meant. The Galaxy S8 retailed for $725+ when it went on sale in the U.S. two years ago <https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/20/samsung-galaxy-s8-and-galaxy-s8-now-on-sale/> . A Facebook spokesperson told Bloomberg that a disabled permanent app doesn’t continue collecting data or sending information back to the company, but declined to specify exactly how many such pre-install deals Facebook has globally. Samsung told the news organization it provides a pre-installed Facebook app on “selected models” with options to disable it, adding that once disabled, the app is no longer running. https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/09/facebook-is-the-new-crapware/amp/
Tip of the iceberg. Try deleting pre-installed Google apps... :-D Some even act like malware e.g. a pre-installed "Photos" app (which I believe belongs to Google and which can't be removed) silently uploaded all my photos - violating privacy and eating bandwidth without my express consent, or knowledge, to Google cloud servers - I actually discovered this by accident and verified with another user... I hope the privacy bill covers "sync" (for both cloud and devices) - a useful but potentially insidious feature that is prone to abuse. Rgds. On Thursday, January 10, 2019, 4:58:50 AM GMT+3, Mwendwa Kivuva via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote: Facebook has inked an unknown number of agreements with Android smartphone makers, mobile carriers and OSes around the world to not only pre-load Facebook’s eponymous app on hardware but render the software undeleteable; a permanent feature of your device, whether you like how the company’s app can track your every move and digital action or not. Bloomberg spoke to a U.S. owner of a Samsung Galaxy S8 who, after reading forum discussions about Samsung devices, found his own pre-loaded Facebook app could not be removed. It could only be “disabled,” with no explanation available to him as to what exactly that meant. The Galaxy S8 retailed for $725+ when it went on sale in the U.S. two years ago. A Facebook spokesperson told Bloomberg that a disabled permanent app doesn’t continue collecting data or sending information back to the company, but declined to specify exactly how many such pre-install deals Facebook has globally. Samsung told the news organization it provides a pre-installed Facebook app on “selected models” with options to disable it, adding that once disabled, the app is no longer running. https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/09/facebook-is-the-new-crapware/amp/ _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/ Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/pmaina2000%40yahoo.com The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
participants (2)
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Mwendwa Kivuva
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Patrick A. M. Maina