Meta and Yandex are de-anonymizing Android users’ web browsing identifiers (arstechnica.com)
from sculd@beehaw.org to technology@beehaw.org on 05 Jun 2025 11:20
https://beehaw.org/post/20398577

Fascinating read. Please STOP using META products and services…

The covert tracking—implemented in the Meta Pixel and Yandex Metrica trackers—allows Meta and Yandex to bypass core security and privacy protections provided by both the Android operating system and browsers that run on it. Android sandboxing, for instance, isolates processes to prevent them from interacting with the OS and any other app installed on the device, cutting off access to sensitive data or privileged system resources. Defenses such as state partitioning and storage partitioning, which are built into all major browsers, store site cookies and other data associated with a website in containers that are unique to every top-level website domain to ensure they’re off-limits for every other site.

#technology

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PotatoLibre@feddit.it on 05 Jun 2025 11:30 next collapse

This assume we have a Facebook app on the phone in oder to work, right?

MaggiWuerze@feddit.org on 05 Jun 2025 11:55 next collapse

Facebook, Instagram or Yandex. Question is if any Meta App (eg WhatsApp) does the same

Mynameisallen@lemmy.zip on 05 Jun 2025 12:56 next collapse

It definitely was enough for me to get rid of WhatsApp. But I was kind of looking for an excuse

sculd@beehaw.org on 05 Jun 2025 13:37 next collapse

WhatsApp is the more difficult one because some use it for work.

PotatoLibre@feddit.it on 05 Jun 2025 16:22 collapse

Then probably you can use an aggregator like Franz.

Never tested, but I guess you can throw the Meta app away then.

Edit: It seems Franz it thought for desktop, Snowball should do the job.

MaggiWuerze@feddit.org on 05 Jun 2025 13:41 collapse

Would love to as well, but my Grandmas don’t want to switch after finally learning how WhatsApp works

Mynameisallen@lemmy.zip on 05 Jun 2025 14:01 collapse

Yeah, my big one was a friend living overseas but I finally got it sorted and they’re on signal now 😅

PotatoLibre@feddit.it on 05 Jun 2025 14:37 collapse

I don’t use much of Fb (or Ig, BlueSky), but I always use them on browser even on the phone. I’ve any app installed for social medias except Lemmy.

In my case they shouldn’t be able to track me, or?

cotlovan@lemm.ee on 06 Jun 2025 11:36 collapse

Samsung phones come with Facebook services pre-installed, with no way to remove it.

PotatoLibre@feddit.it on 06 Jun 2025 21:16 next collapse

I guess you can deactivate them.

notastatist@feddit.org on 09 Jun 2025 15:36 collapse

Yeah, but then their spyware is stoll on your storage.

ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 06 Jun 2025 22:00 collapse

One of the things that pushed me into the loving arms of GrapheneOS actually.

Powderhorn@beehaw.org on 05 Jun 2025 13:05 collapse

If you still think Meta is providing a service, there are likely mental crisis lines locally. I don’t understand why anyone uses any of their platforms.

AmbitiousProcess@piefed.social on 08 Jun 2025 20:54 collapse

I don't understand why anyone uses any of their platforms.

The answer to this question about almost any shitty platform is almost always the network effect.

Leaving Meta's platforms means leaving where most of your friends and family spend their time digitally, which makes it harder to connect with the people you know. No one can collectively agree on an alternative platform to all simultaneously move to, so in most cases, leaving Meta practically means cutting yourself off from your entire social graph.