I assume this just means that they'll require a "Meta" account instead of a Facebook account, and it will come with all the same problems as creating a Facebook account.
Also, their "support" for sideloading, while better than nothing, requires a valid phone number or credit card number to sideload anything.
This. Whether it's linked with your other social media or not isn't the issue. And whether it's a "Facebook" account, "Meta" account, an "Oculus" account, or whatever, it's all still an account with Facebook and can be expected to have all of the baggage that comes with an account with Facebook.
Also, their "support" for sideloading, while better than nothing, requires a valid phone number or credit card number to sideload anything.