What are the "Meta services" showing up?

[palekale]

What are these? Found them in apps settings→special access→apps that always use data

[GaryB82]

Meta Services are (often paired with Meta App Manager/Installer) is a pre-installed background component from Meta (Facebook) that facilitates core functions for its apps like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, handling updates, notifications, and data syncing, even if you don't actively use them, acting as a behind-the-scenes system facilitator for Meta's ecosystem on Android. 

[palekale]

I heard Facebook uses the messenger app track you when you browse on your browser. By putting a pixel on the browser or something through the messenger app even when it's running in the background, if I turn off these meta services what will happen?

[GaryB82]

As far as I’m aware, updates might not happen automatically. You may need to update them manually, which could be quite time-consuming.  Otherwise, you won’t receive notifications and your data may not sync properly.

[CEParsons]

̶D̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶r̶i̶e̶r̶ ̶l̶o̶c̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶d̶e̶v̶i̶c̶e̶?̶ ̶W̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶ ̶M̶e̶t̶a̶ ̶a̶p̶p̶s̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶-̶i̶n̶s̶t̶a̶l̶l̶e̶d̶?̶ ̶

Meta allegedly pays carriers [EDIT: and apparently manufacturers] quite a bit to have Meta apps and services pre-installed on certain devices.

Yes, these services do track your browsing data and other device activity.

I̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶c̶e̶r̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶,̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶u̶y̶ ̶f̶a̶c̶t̶o̶r̶y̶ ̶u̶n̶l̶o̶c̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶d̶e̶v̶i̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶d̶i̶r̶e̶c̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶S̶a̶m̶s̶u̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶v̶o̶i̶d̶ ̶d̶o̶w̶n̶l̶o̶a̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶ ̶m̶e̶t̶a̶ ̶a̶p̶p̶s̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶v̶i̶s̶i̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶M̶e̶t̶a̶ ̶s̶i̶t̶e̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶w̶s̶e̶r̶.̶

[nullandvoid]

I do not have a carrier locked device and those apps are installed on my phone.  I suspect they get installed when you install any Meta app.  They may go away if the Meta apps are uninstalled.  Many people use at least one Meta app - their tentacles are in everything, as is Google.

[unfunny]

interestingly, i don't have them on my s24u, despite having whatsapp, metaAI, and horizons installed (Though i do not actively use whatsapp, i installed it just to get dual messanger installed)

[Popsicle20]

Buying a factory unlocked phone may not help. My S23+ is factory unlocked and has the Meta App Manager and Meta App Installer.  I go out of my way to avoid putting any Meta junk on my phone if I can possibly avoid it, so they probably don't affect anything.

I went into Settings and disabled both apps in both places (regular settings and Secure Folder settings). I don't think this will cause any problems, but I'll post back here if my phone does start acting weird.

[CEParsons]

Interesting. I wouldn't have thought that Meta Services would be pre-installed, but digging deeper it appears that Meta is cutting deals with manufacturers directly and not just carriers.

The more you know, I suppose.

[Popsicle20]

When I bought my factory unlocked S10e in 2020, it had the full Facebook app baked into the operating system so it couldn't be uninstalled. I was pretty angry about that but I was able to disable the app.