Some Samsung phone users can't fully delete Facebook app
If for whatever reason you're hoping to completely sever ties with Facebook's mobile app, you may not have a choice if you're using a Samsung phone.
Data privacy concerns or just a desire to limit your social media engagement may have led you to delete some applications from your smartphone. Unfortunately, if you're a Samsung Galaxy user, you may be stuck with Facebook. A Galaxy user learned that the application can only be "disabled", but a Facebook spokesperson says it is basically the same thing.
Bloomberg reported the find, speaking with a handful of users about their thoughts on not being able to remove Facebook entirely from their device. The report says that people have become "more alert about their digital rights and more vigilant about privacy in the past year," citing Facebook's massive security lapses as inspiration. Applications bundled with specific phone models is not a new practice, but Android users are questioning Samsung's inclusion of a permanent version of Facebook.
“It just absolutely baffles me that if I wanted to completely get rid of Facebook that it essentially would still be on my phone, which brings up more questions,” said photographer Nick Winke in an interview. “Can they still track your information, your location, or whatever else they do? We the consumer should have say in what we want and don’t want on our products.”
The publication states that a Facebook spokesperson said the disabled version of the app acts like its been deleted, so it doesn't continue collecting data or sending information back to Facebook. While that may be true, users are understandably concerned that they can't take the simple step of completely deleting the app so they have some semblance of confidence that their data isn't being snatched up by that particular app. Beyond the security concerns, society alone is pushing users to seek out a less turbulent social feed.
“My news feed was full of negative stuff, people going crazy on social media,” said user Balwinder Singh. “It was affecting me emotionally and mentally.” He was still bothered by the app's presence despite being disabled.
Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, shares his own take on this shift. “It’s only recently that people have become to understand that these apps really power the spy in your pocket,” he said. “Companies should be filing public documents on these deals, and Facebook should turn over public documents that show there is no data collection when the app is disabled.”
What's your take on this unseverable tether to your smart device? Have you started to remove Facebook or other social media apps from your everyday life? Let us know in Chatty and stay tuned to Shacknews for more updates.
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replyCharles Singletary Jr posted a new article, Some Samsung phone users can't fully delete Facebook app
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i can't even figure out how to stop it from auto updating on my note 8!
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How is that different from only being able to disable Google apps?
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Confirmed. A buddy of mine (non tech person) handed me his phone and asked me to uninstall FB.
NOPE. Only option is to disable it and clear the cache. -
My S6 cried like a little girl and begged, but it did uninstall.
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