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Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

smh.com.au

1–10 of 14 posts

Re: Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

#2
"A Facebook spokesperson said the disabled version of the app acts like it's been deleted, so it doesn't continue collecting data or sending information back to Facebook. But there's rarely communication with the consumer about the process."

If this is the case then why not allow it to be deleted?

Re: Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

#3

"A Facebook spokesperson said the disabled version of the app acts like it's been deleted, so it doesn't continue collecting data or sending information back to Facebook. But there's rarely communication with the consumer about the process." If this is the case then why not allow it to be deleted?

To game the 'installed on X phones' metric. Facebook can still claim it is installed on the phone even if it disabled.

Re: Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

#4

"A Facebook spokesperson said the disabled version of the app acts like it's been deleted, so it doesn't continue collecting data or sending information back to Facebook. But there's rarely communication with the consumer about the process." If this is the case then why not allow it to be deleted?

Baking certain apps into the system partition is typically how vendors ship an out of the box experience, since apps are generally downloaded via the Play store, which requires the end user to first log in with Google.

In that case, the only way to delete apps is to 'root' the phone, which generally isn't enabled and not something Facebook has control over.

Re: Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

#5
Not a shock to me at all, nor to anyway who's owned a Samsung device in the past.

I've had two Samsung phones and both are loaded with crapware. Some essential apps, such as Calendar, come with multiple versions. Games I would never play are installed by default. And yes, most of the built-in apps like Facebook simply can't be removed.

The only thing preventing me from switching to a Pixel, which I've heard takes a staunchly anti-crapware stance, is the lack of a headphone jack.

Re: Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

#6

Not a shock to me at all, nor to anyway who's owned a Samsung device in the past. I've had two Samsung phones and both are loaded with crapware. Some essential apps, such as Calendar, come with multiple versions. Games I would never play are installed by default. And yes, most of the built-in apps like Facebook simply can't be removed. The only thing preventing me from switching to a Pixel, which I've heard takes a s…

> The only thing preventing me from switching to a Pixel, which I've heard takes a staunchly anti-crapware stance, is the lack of a headphone jack.

There is less crapware, but still a fair bit of google/play crapware/spyware you may not want and can't delete. Stuff like google now, google news, google docs, hangouts, google photos, play books/music/games. At least that's the case with other stock android phones.

Re: Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

#7

Not a shock to me at all, nor to anyway who's owned a Samsung device in the past. I've had two Samsung phones and both are loaded with crapware. Some essential apps, such as Calendar, come with multiple versions. Games I would never play are installed by default. And yes, most of the built-in apps like Facebook simply can't be removed. The only thing preventing me from switching to a Pixel, which I've heard takes a s…

Yep. I have a Pixel 2, and it's pretty much one headphone jack away from being a perfect phone.

Everything else about the phone is great, and if you're not happy with the software, it's easy to install a custom ROM (as long as you bought it directly from Google, anyways...) but I regularly find myself missing the headphone jack.

Re: Samsung phone users get a shock: They can't delete Facebook

#10

Not a shock to me at all, nor to anyway who's owned a Samsung device in the past. I've had two Samsung phones and both are loaded with crapware. Some essential apps, such as Calendar, come with multiple versions. Games I would never play are installed by default. And yes, most of the built-in apps like Facebook simply can't be removed. The only thing preventing me from switching to a Pixel, which I've heard takes a s…

> The only thing preventing me from switching to a Pixel, which I've heard takes a staunchly anti-crapware stance, is the lack of a headphone jack.

Sorry to be pessimistic but if you're complaining about the fact that a Samsung device has preloaded spyware from the world's second largest advertising company perhaps replacing it with a phone with in-built spyware from the world's largest advertising company is not the best step.

Unfortunately - in the world we currently live in - the only viable phone option for privacy sensitive users is an Apple device. Apple and its devices may have many other issues but they are unarguably the most privacy aware mobile option available.

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