Using Facebook/Meta Messenger on Android

I've started missing out on events just because I am not in the group chats my friends are having on there. That is where I draw my limit. I need to start using Messenger.

However I still wish to use Messenger with as much privacy as possible. I am looking for any advice that might improve my experience and lessen any privacy impact.

I will be creating a fresh account that will just have a picture of me and my first name.

I am running iodeOS (Google-free Android ROM with built in ad-block) on my phone and I am very happy with it so far. I will be blocking messengers outgoing requests as much as possible while still retaining base functionality, but I'm not sure how much that will help.

How do I best use Messenger on Android from a privacy perspective?