I don’t like Meta spyware apps, but sometimes I have to use them to connect with people around me, so is there any way to maintain my privacy while using these apps?
As for Facebook I use it in the browser and I
deleted my Instagram account.
Since I connect with my family over seas I need the messenger app as well 
So if possible use social media in your browser, but you still wont be keeping your privacy. More like not loosing so much of it.
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Meta wont like it when you dont do it the usual way and they might kick you out of their platform for the umbrella reason of “inauthentic human behaviour”.
With that said, first you need to have a different device (phone) and phone number from your usual daily driver device. Ideally it is not connected to your local network/home LAN and you may want to (permanently) disable/turn off the wifi/bluetooth entirely and just rely on your mobile data plan. Keep this phone at home at all times and turn off your location data. Get a message aggregator service like a Matrix bridge (Element) or something like a paid Beeper plan. Voice calls would remain an issue if you are elsewhere and someone is calling at home.
I guess you can also borrow someone’s (a friend) device and sign up from there but you’d still need a valid phone number to get the confirmatory/2FA text that they will send. From there you can either use your computer to login. You can also probably use your degoogled phone of choice just make sure it is properly sandboxed.
Facebook once had an onion adress once. Not sure if it is still active/maintained.
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- Use in browser (don’t install any apps)
- Upload as little information as it’ll let you get away with. I found some trick online long ago for using a specific region setting to letting it use only my first name, and then I uploaded just one picture of myself so people will recognize me.
- Don’t post any personal stuff.
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I have zero computer science knowledge, could you (@HauntSanctuary) please decipher what you said in a clear, understandable way. Thanks in advance.
Basically, the Matrix protocol (the decentralized platform that the PG chat rooms run on) has a community that has built bots to allow you to connect to other social media / chat apps through self-hosted services (or through paid plans that companies such as Beeper [of iMessage fame] offer). However, for this to work , you need a legitimate account on facebook. @HauntSanctuary notes that this might cause your account to be banned, so you should do so with caution and at your own risk.
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Too much involved, but thanks for clarifying.
and what makes it that they cannot use signal? From experience they will get it if you say that’s the only way to reach you.
It takes a lot of effort but we have to be frontrunners and convince people to switch. If we don’t nobody will.
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I sent a few links to my cuz… (With explanation of course about metadata etc)
The way it looks he to busy to care lol
And I’m too busy as well
At least to the extent that I don’t have time to spend convincing ppl about privacy.
A link for self information has to be enough.