IOS – Deleting (intrusive?) Facebook files ok

command linedeletingfacebookiosmacos

Platform(s): MacOS Catalina (10.15.2) and an iPad (13.3).

Disclaimer: I'm in no way experienced or knowledgeable in anything relating to computers.

Background: I'm keen to cut ties with Facebook completely and thought I'd investigate if there are any Facebook files lurking around on my Mac to do whatever Facebook files likes to do; spying, stealing info etc.

Found: I found the following files using Double Commander, scouring the entire drive.

/System/iOSSupport/System/Library/AccessibilityBundles/FacebookSettings.axbundle
/System/iOSSupport/System/Library/AccessibilityBundles/FacebookSettings.axbundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookSettings
/System/Library/Accounts/Access/FacebookAccessPlugin.bundle
/System/Library/Accounts/Access/FacebookAccessPlugin.bundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookAccessPlugin
/System/Library/Accounts/Authentication/FacebookAuthenticationPlugin.bundle
/System/Library/Accounts/Authentication/FacebookAuthenticationPlugin.bundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookAuthenticationPlugin
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CalendarDraw.framework/Versions/A/Resources/FacebookIcon.tiff
/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/profile-photo-facebook@2x.png
/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/badge-facebook@2x.png
/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/badge-facebook.png
/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/profile-photo-facebook.png
/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc
/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc/Contents/MacOS/com.apple.facebook
/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc/Contents/Resources/FacebookContactUpdater
/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc/Contents/Resources/FacebookIcon.icns
/System/Applications/News.app/Contents/Resources/facebook.js
/System/Volumes/Data/Users/idontthinkso/Library/Caches/Firefox/Profiles/8joe3ovp.default-release/safebrowsing/social-tracking-protection-facebook-digest256.vlpset
/System/Volumes/Data/Users/idontthinkso/Library/Caches/Firefox/Profiles/8joe3ovp.default-release/safebrowsing/social-tracking-protection-facebook-digest256.sbstore

Question: Are these all safe to delete?

Bonus question!: Is there a Terminal command to delete files in this manner? As there is for xCode etc.

Best Answer

While I am not aware of the insides in detail, but I can comment(answer) on some.

/System/iOSSupport/System/Library/AccessibilityBundles/FacebookSettings.axbundle
/System/iOSSupport/System/Library/AccessibilityBundles/FacebookSettings.axbundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookSettings
/System/Library/Accounts/Access/FacebookAccessPlugin.bundle
/System/Library/Accounts/Access/FacebookAccessPlugin.bundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookAccessPlugin

All the tiff, png, icns files are just images and icons and I wouldn't mind them sitting where they are.

For the news one, it's a JavaScript file and it can be worth reading, if it's readable, to see what it has.

For the last two of Firefox, I routinely delete the Profiles folder every time YouTube's suggestions become obsolete or one sided. So you can delete that folder using Finder (yay!) and see if it comes up again. It could be a good thing to save to protect you from tracking!