For those who are unaware, Onavo Protect is a Facebook-owned Virtual Private Network (VPN) app that was primarily designed to assist users maintain tabs on their mobile information usage as well as acquired past times Facebook from an Israeli analytics startup inwards 2013.
The so-called VPN app has been the source of disceptation before this year, when the social media giant offered it every bit a gratis mobile VPN app, promised to "keep you lot as well as your information security when you lot browse as well as portion information on the web."
However, Onavo Protect became a information collection tool for the Facebook helping companionship to rails smartphone users' activities across multiple dissimilar applications to acquire insights close how Facebook users usage third-party apps.
Why Did Apple Remove Facebook's Free VPN App?
Now according to a novel report from Wall Street Journal, Apple informed Facebook before this calendar month that Onavo Protect violated its novel App Store Guidelines, implemented inwards June restricting app developers from creating databases out of user information as well as sell it to 3rd parties.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 intelligence betwixt Apple as well as Facebook close the app occurred concluding week, as well as Apple reportedly suggested Facebook to "voluntarily" take Onavo Protect from the App Store, to which Facebook agreed.
"Earlier this month, Apple officials informed Facebook that the app violated novel rules outlined inwards June designed to bound information collection past times app developers, the somebody familiar amongst the province of affairs said," the study reads.
"Apple informed Facebook that Onavo also violated a usage of its developer understanding that prevents apps from using information inwards ways that become beyond what is straight relevant to the app or to render advertising, the somebody added."
In a statement, Apple says the companionship is committed to protecting user privacy.
"We locomote difficult to protect user privacy as well as information security throughout the Apple ecosystem. With the latest update to our guidelines, nosotros made it explicitly clear that apps should non collect information close which other apps are installed on a user’s device for the purposes of analytics or advertising/marketing as well as must acquire inwards clear what user information volition endure collected as well as how it volition endure used."
What Data Does Facebook Collect Using Onavo Protect?
While Facebook markets Onavo Protect every bit a gratis VPN tool for users to maintain themselves as well as their information safe, the app genuinely does is create a VPN that redirects users' network traffic to a individual server managed past times Facebook.
To acquire a pic of how Facebook uses Onavo every bit an extensive information collecting tool, you lot tin read its Google Play Store description:
"Onavo may collect your mobile information traffic. This helps us improve as well as operate the Onavo service past times analyzing your usage of websites, apps, as well as data. Because we're usage of Facebook, nosotros also usage this information to improve Facebook products as well as services, gain insights into the products as well as services people value, as well as construct meliorate experiences."
So if you lot intend that Facebook tin rails your activities on the Web, exactly it can’t rails what you lot practise inwards other apps on your smartphone, you lot are wrong, peculiarly when you lot are using Onavo Protect.
Although Facebook has removed Onavo Protect from the iOS App Store, users who convey already downloaded the gratis VPN app volition proceed to endure able to usage it, exactly without whatever expectations of receiving updates to the app from Facebook.
This Facebook's gratis VPN app had already been downloaded over 33 meg times across both iOS as well as Android devices, as well as it is even as well as therefore endure as well as working on the Play Store, as well as Facebook has no plans to take it until as well as unless Google finds it violating its terms.
