Apple Facebook 's VPN app Onavo Protect after it violated Apple's data collection policies.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Apple warned Facebook that its VPN app does not comply with new privacy rules that were created in June of this year. The latest set of regulations provides for restrictions on the data collected by third-party apps.
The Onavo Protect app allows users to browse the internet through a virtual private network that routes traffic to a private server owned by Facebook. The app's main purpose is to collect data that Facebook uses to analyze how people use its apps. Zuckerberg admitted in his testimony that the data collected by the VPN app is used to improve its own products by gathering information about how people use other popular apps.
In a meeting held last week, the two tech giants discussed the issue, and Apple asked Facebook to voluntarily remove the app. According to a person who attended the meeting, the discussion led Facebook to accept the decision to remove the app.
This is a huge blow to Facebook, which is already facing criticism from many quarters for misusing user data for its own benefit.
On the other hand, Apple has proven that privacy is an issue that concerns the company and will not stop under any circumstances.
The Onavo Protect app has been removed from the Apple App Store, but there will be no impact on those who have already downloaded the app other than the pause of updates. The app is still available on the Google Play Store.
