Meta: Difference between revisions - Consumer Rights Wiki

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[[wikipedia:Meta_Platforms|'''Meta Platforms, Inc.''']], formerly known as Facebook, is a multinational technology conglomerate primarily known for its social media platforms, including [[Facebook]], [[Instagram]], [[WhatsApp]], and [[Messenger]]. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook quickly grew into one of the largest social networks in the world. Over the years, the company has expanded its business model, incorporating advertising, data collection, and virtual reality products, with a focus on connecting users globally.

[[wikipedia:Meta_Platforms|'''Meta Platforms, Inc.''']], formerly known as Facebook, is a multinational technology conglomerate primarily known for its social media platforms, including [[Facebook]], [[Instagram]], [[WhatsApp]], and [[Messenger]]. Founded in 2004 by [[Mark Zuckerberg]], Facebook quickly grew into one of the largest social networks in the world. Over the years, the company has expanded its business model, incorporating advertising, data collection, and virtual reality products, with a focus on connecting users globally.

In 2021, Facebook rebranded itself as Meta, signaling its shift toward a broader vision focused on the "metaverse" – a virtual-reality, interconnected digital world. Meta has faced ongoing scrutiny over issues related to consumer privacy, data security, content moderation, and its role in spreading misinformation. The company has been involved in several high-profile regulatory and legal challenges, particularly regarding its handling of user data and its impact on user well-being.

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===Facebook===

==== Local Mess (June 2025) ====

====Upload of private user photos on phones to the cloud for AI training (June 2025)====

According to reports, some users have reported popups asking them to opt in to "cloud processing" of their photos when using the Story feature. This would give the app unrestricted access to all photos stored on the user's phone and upload all of them to the cloud on a reguar basis, as opposed to just uploading those images explicitly chosen by the user to be posted on the platform. Users are incentivized to agree through the promise of custom collages and recaps.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Tina |date=June 28, 2025 |title=Facebook is starting to feed its AI with private, unpublished photos |url=https://www.theverge.com/meta/694685/meta-ai-camera-roll |access-date=June 29, 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>

This would allow Meta to perform face recognition, track the past location of the user and their social circle based on the GPS metadata from all photos, train AI models with the photos, and much more. This also has security implications since the data on Meta's servers could be leaked or hacked at any time.

It should be noted that on-device analysis of all photos and their metadata was already possible on older mobile operating systems until Apple and Google added more granular permissions than "access camera roll or not". Whether this was actively exploited by apps like Facebook is unknown.

Users can reduce the amount of data these services can harvest by using the browser version in an incognito tab instead of using dedicated apps. Installing an adblocker is also advisable. However, not all features may be accessible this way.

====Local Mess (June 2025)====

A study by Dutch researchers revealed that Meta used a local connection from the user's browser to their apps using WebRTC to communicate from the Facebook tracking pixel (a script website providers integrate into their websites) with Meta apps installed on the device to track the user and circumvent measures to prevent the user's data from leaking. This even works when the user is using the browser's incognito mode. Meta used this technique since at least 2024, Yandex used it as far back as 2017. The day the study was published, the corresponding code disappeared from the Facebook tracking pixel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Girish |first=Aniketh |date=2025-06-03 |title=Disclosure: Covert Web-to-App Tracking via Localhost on Android |url=https://localmess.github.io/ |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Local Mess (Github)}}</ref>

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As a crude workaround, one can take screenshots of images in the app instead of using its sharing functionality. Since that yields images in screen resolution, this workaround may not be suitable in all cases.

~~'''~~Useless notifications to boost engagement and facilitate tracking~~'''~~

====Useless notifications to boost engagement and facilitate tracking====

Initially, notifications on the site were used to inform the user of events that warranted their attention, such as a new post to their wall, a direct message or interactions with their posts. Clicking the notification icon would clear its state. However, at some point Facebook started to trigger notifications when the user was inactive for too long in order to get them to engage with the platform more, which would then in turn indirectly increase their ad exposure. It was also no longer possible to fully clear the notifications because new ones would appear instantly. E-Mail notifications with the clear intent of getting the user to go to the platform rather than informing the user of something relevant are also sent on a regular basis.

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Additionally to all of this the headsets are not usable at all without connecting them to the Internet and logging them into a Meta/Facebook account when the owner wants to use it for the first time after purchase. This creates the risk that the headsets will be indefinitely unusable, or at least not to be able to be set up after a reset of the software, if Meta theoretically decides to shutdown the authentication or login servers.

====''Echo VR'' shutdown and Ready At Dawn====

====Echo VR shutdown and Ready At Dawn====

''Echo VR'' was a VR e-sports title centered around zero-gravity physics, developed by Ready At Dawn Studios.<ref>[https://www.meta.com/experiences/echo-vr/2215004568539258/ "Echo VR - About Page"] - meta.com</ref> The game released on July 20, 2017, on the Oculus Rift store, before being ported over to the Meta Quest platform (formerly the Oculus Quest platform) on May 5, 2020.

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Despite Ready At Dawn's claims, there have been no other project released following the shutdown. The studio proceeded to suffer major layoffs and, in August 2024, Meta shut down Ready At Dawn Studios itself, blaming Oculus Studios' budgetary constraints.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sutrich |first=Nicholas |date=7 Aug 2024 |title=Exclusive: Meta is closing a beloved first-party Quest studio |url=https://www.androidcentral.com/gaming/virtual-reality/ready-at-dawn-studios-closing |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=www.androidcentral.com}} </ref>

====~~='''~~Attempts to block other OpenXR runtimes (third party or other brands) from working with games~~'''~~<ref name=":2">"[https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/ovrplugin.html Meta’s OVRPlugin]" - mbucchia.github.io</ref>=====

====Attempts to block other OpenXR runtimes (third party or other brands) from working with games<ref name=":2">"[https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/ovrplugin.html Meta’s OVRPlugin]" - mbucchia.github.io</ref>====

Both Unity and Unreal Engine allow various OpenXR vendor plugins to be used, one of which is Meta's Oculus XR Plugin internally called the OVRPlugin. The OVRPlugin is a unified plugin that allows developers a single unified implementation for their Quest devices and OpenXR compatible devices for the PC. This sounds like an easy solution to target all current popular high-end VR headsets in one implementation.

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Game developers are advised to avoid the OVRPlugin where possible and rely on generic OpenXR implementations that support the standard correctly. Affected users can try the Meta Plugin Compatibility option in their SteamVR settings. The latest version of Virtual Desktop should also have the workarounds implemented. Players of Unreal Engine games report that launching the game with -hmd=openxr can bypass the plugin.

~~'''~~Update on the ~~Occulus~~ Quest 2 /Pro removed a key feature on keyboard tracking[https://communityforums.atmeta.com/t5/Talk-VR/Removing-Keyboard-Tracking-on-Quest-2-Pro-What-s-next-on-the/td-p/1284678]'''

====Update on the Oculus Quest 2 /Pro removed a key feature on keyboard tracking'''[https://communityforums.atmeta.com/t5/Talk-VR/Removing-Keyboard-Tracking-on-Quest-2-Pro-What-s-next-on-the/td-p/1284678]'''====

Meta’s recent decision to discontinue support for physical keyboard tracking on the Quest 2 and Pro, as stated in the V72 release notes, in just two years of lifecycle this showcase an enshittification on their products. Early adopters beware.

~~Meta’s recent decision to discontinue support for physical keyboard tracking~~ on the Quest ~~2 and Pro, as stated in the V72 release notes~~, in ~~just two years of lifecycle this showcase an enshittification on their products. Early adopters beware~~.

====Update on the Oculus Quest 1====

The original Quest 1 from 2019 has been deprecated, after entering extended support in 2023.

==Lawsuits==

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 | Logo = Meta.webp
 }}
-[[wikipedia:Meta_Platforms|'''Meta Platforms, Inc.''']], formerly known as Facebook, is a multinational technology conglomerate primarily known for its social media platforms, including [[Facebook]], [[Instagram]], [[WhatsApp]], and [[Messenger]]. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook quickly grew into one of the largest social networks in the world. Over the years, the company has expanded its business model, incorporating advertising, data collection, and virtual reality products, with a focus on connecting users globally.
+[[wikipedia:Meta_Platforms|'''Meta Platforms, Inc.''']], formerly known as Facebook, is a multinational technology conglomerate primarily known for its social media platforms, including [[Facebook]], [[Instagram]], [[WhatsApp]], and [[Messenger]]. Founded in 2004 by [[Mark Zuckerberg]], Facebook quickly grew into one of the largest social networks in the world. Over the years, the company has expanded its business model, incorporating advertising, data collection, and virtual reality products, with a focus on connecting users globally.
 In 2021, Facebook rebranded itself as Meta, signaling its shift toward a broader vision focused on the "metaverse" – a virtual-reality, interconnected digital world. Meta has faced ongoing scrutiny over issues related to consumer privacy, data security, content moderation, and its role in spreading misinformation. The company has been involved in several high-profile regulatory and legal challenges, particularly regarding its handling of user data and its impact on user well-being.
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ===Facebook<!-- Wow, we got a lot to list here... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook#Criticisms_and_controversies -->===
-==== Local Mess (June 2025) ====
+====Upload of private user photos on phones to the cloud for AI training (June 2025)====
+According to reports, some users have reported popups asking them to opt in to "cloud processing" of their photos when using the Story feature. This would give the app unrestricted access to all photos stored on the user's phone and upload all of them to the cloud on a reguar basis, as opposed to just uploading those images explicitly chosen by the user to be posted on the platform. Users are incentivized to agree through the promise of custom collages and recaps.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Tina |date=June 28, 2025 |title=Facebook is starting to feed its AI with private, unpublished photos |url=https://www.theverge.com/meta/694685/meta-ai-camera-roll |access-date=June 29, 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
+This would allow Meta to perform face recognition, track the past location of the user and their social circle based on the GPS metadata from all photos, train AI models with the photos, and much more. This also has security implications since the data on Meta's servers could be leaked or hacked at any time.
+It should be noted that on-device analysis of all photos and their metadata was already possible on older mobile operating systems until Apple and Google added more granular permissions than "access camera roll or not". Whether this was actively exploited by apps like Facebook is unknown.
+Users can reduce the amount of data these services can harvest by using the browser version in an incognito tab instead of using dedicated apps. Installing an adblocker is also advisable. However, not all features may be accessible this way.
+====Local Mess (June 2025)====
 A study by Dutch researchers revealed that Meta used a local connection from the user's browser to their apps using WebRTC to communicate from the Facebook tracking pixel (a script website providers integrate into their websites) with Meta apps installed on the device to track the user and circumvent measures to prevent the user's data from leaking. This even works when the user is using the browser's incognito mode. Meta used this technique since at least 2024, Yandex used it as far back as 2017. The day the study was published, the corresponding code disappeared from the Facebook tracking pixel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Girish |first=Aniketh |date=2025-06-03 |title=Disclosure: Covert Web-to-App Tracking via Localhost on Android |url=https://localmess.github.io/ |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Local Mess (Github)}}</ref><!-- FIXME: The study has more than one author, not sure how to add more than one using the form provided by the Wiki -->
@@ Line 30: / Line 39: @@
 As a crude workaround, one can take screenshots of images in the app instead of using its sharing functionality. Since that yields images in screen resolution, this workaround may not be suitable in all cases.
-'''Useless notifications to boost engagement and facilitate tracking'''<!-- Maybe this warrants its own explanation, seeing that it has since become a commonly used dark pattern -->
+====Useless notifications to boost engagement and facilitate tracking====<!-- Maybe this warrants its own explanation, seeing that it has since become a commonly used dark pattern -->
 Initially, notifications on the site were used to inform the user of events that warranted their attention, such as a new post to their wall, a direct message or interactions with their posts. Clicking the notification icon would clear its state. However, at some point Facebook started to trigger notifications when the user was inactive for too long in order to get them to engage with the platform more, which would then in turn indirectly increase their ad exposure. It was also no longer possible to fully clear the notifications because new ones would appear instantly. E-Mail notifications with the clear intent of getting the user to go to the platform rather than informing the user of something relevant are also sent on a regular basis.
@@ Line 53: / Line 62: @@
 Additionally to all of this the headsets are not usable at all without connecting them to the Internet and logging them into a Meta/Facebook account when the owner wants to use it for the first time after purchase. This creates the risk that the headsets will be indefinitely unusable, or at least not to be able to be set up after a reset of the software, if Meta theoretically decides to shutdown the authentication or login servers.
-====''Echo VR'' shutdown and Ready At Dawn====
+====Echo VR shutdown and Ready At Dawn====
 ''Echo VR'' was a VR e-sports title centered around zero-gravity physics, developed by Ready At Dawn Studios.<ref>[https://www.meta.com/experiences/echo-vr/2215004568539258/ "Echo VR - About Page"] - meta.com</ref> The game released on July 20, 2017, on the Oculus Rift store, before being ported over to the Meta Quest platform (formerly the Oculus Quest platform) on May 5, 2020.
@@ Line 64: / Line 73: @@
 Despite Ready At Dawn's claims, there have been no other project released following the shutdown. The studio proceeded to suffer major layoffs and, in August 2024, Meta shut down Ready At Dawn Studios itself, blaming Oculus Studios' budgetary constraints.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sutrich |first=Nicholas |date=7 Aug 2024 |title=Exclusive: Meta is closing a beloved first-party Quest studio |url=https://www.androidcentral.com/gaming/virtual-reality/ready-at-dawn-studios-closing |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=www.androidcentral.com}} </ref>
-====='''Attempts to block other OpenXR runtimes (third party or other brands) from working with games'''<ref name=":2">"[https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/ovrplugin.html Meta’s OVRPlugin]" - mbucchia.github.io</ref>=====
+====Attempts to block other OpenXR runtimes (third party or other brands) from working with games<ref name=":2">"[https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/ovrplugin.html Meta’s OVRPlugin]" - mbucchia.github.io</ref>====
 Both Unity and Unreal Engine allow various OpenXR vendor plugins to be used, one of which is Meta's Oculus XR Plugin internally called the OVRPlugin. The OVRPlugin is a unified plugin that allows developers a single unified implementation for their Quest devices and OpenXR compatible devices for the PC. This sounds like an easy solution to target all current popular high-end VR headsets in one implementation.
@@ Line 79: / Line 88: @@
 Game developers are advised to avoid the OVRPlugin where possible and rely on generic OpenXR implementations that support the standard correctly. Affected users can try the Meta Plugin Compatibility option in their SteamVR settings. The latest version of Virtual Desktop should also have the workarounds implemented. Players of Unreal Engine games report that launching the game with -hmd=openxr can bypass the plugin.
-'''Update on the Occulus Quest 2 /Pro removed a key feature on keyboard tracking[https://communityforums.atmeta.com/t5/Talk-VR/Removing-Keyboard-Tracking-on-Quest-2-Pro-What-s-next-on-the/td-p/1284678]'''
+====Update on the Oculus Quest 2 /Pro removed a key feature on keyboard tracking'''[https://communityforums.atmeta.com/t5/Talk-VR/Removing-Keyboard-Tracking-on-Quest-2-Pro-What-s-next-on-the/td-p/1284678]'''====
+Meta’s recent decision to discontinue support for physical keyboard tracking on the Quest 2 and Pro, as stated in the V72 release notes, in just two years of lifecycle this showcase an enshittification on their products. Early adopters beware.
-Meta’s recent decision to discontinue support for physical keyboard tracking on the Quest 2 and Pro, as stated in the V72 release notes, in just two years of lifecycle this showcase an enshittification on their products. Early adopters beware.
+====Update on the Oculus Quest 1====
+{{Main|Oculus (Meta) Quest 1 Deprecation}}
+The original Quest 1 from 2019 has been deprecated, after entering extended support in 2023.
 ==Lawsuits<!-- I feel like this should follow the table format that I established with the Valve page -->==