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Apple Says It's Banning Facebook's Research App That Collects Users' Personal Information (recode.net)
Facebook is at the center of another privacy scandal -- and this time it hasn't just angered users. It has also angered Apple. From a report: The short version: Apple says Facebook broke an agreement it made with Apple by publishing a "research" app for iPhone users that allowed the social giant to collect all kinds of personal data about those users, TechCrunch reported Tuesday. The app allowed Facebook to track users' app history, their private messages and their location data. Facebook's research effort reportedly targeted users as young as 13 years old.
As of last summer, apps that collect that kind of data are against Apple's privacy guidelines. That means Facebook couldn't make this research app available through the App Store, which would have required Apple approval. Instead, Facebook apparently took advantage of Apple's "Developer Enterprise Program," which lets approved Apple partners, like Facebook, test and distribute apps specifically for their own employees. In those cases, the employees can use third-party services to download beta versions of apps that aren't available to the general public. Update: The Verge reports: Apple has shut down Facebook's ability to distribute internal iOS apps, from early releases of the Facebook app to basic tools like a lunch menu. A person familiar with the situation tells The Verge that early versions of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and other pre-release "dogfood" (beta) apps have stopped working, as have other employee apps, like one for transportation. Facebook is treating this as a critical problem internally, we're told, as the affected apps simply don't launch on employees' phones anymore. Update 2: Apple says it shut down Facebook's app before the social company could voluntarily shut it down -- contrary to an earlier statement by Facebook, in which it said it was shutting down the app.
As of last summer, apps that collect that kind of data are against Apple's privacy guidelines. That means Facebook couldn't make this research app available through the App Store, which would have required Apple approval. Instead, Facebook apparently took advantage of Apple's "Developer Enterprise Program," which lets approved Apple partners, like Facebook, test and distribute apps specifically for their own employees. In those cases, the employees can use third-party services to download beta versions of apps that aren't available to the general public. Update: The Verge reports: Apple has shut down Facebook's ability to distribute internal iOS apps, from early releases of the Facebook app to basic tools like a lunch menu. A person familiar with the situation tells The Verge that early versions of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and other pre-release "dogfood" (beta) apps have stopped working, as have other employee apps, like one for transportation. Facebook is treating this as a critical problem internally, we're told, as the affected apps simply don't launch on employees' phones anymore. Update 2: Apple says it shut down Facebook's app before the social company could voluntarily shut it down -- contrary to an earlier statement by Facebook, in which it said it was shutting down the app.
... the worse Facebook looks.
You make it sound as if Apple arbitrarily reached out and nuked an app. They didn’t. They nuked a app that showed a flagrant disregard for the rules that everyone had agreed to.
Facebook broke specific terms in the license that say enterprise apps are expressly disallowed from being used by customers unless they are being supervised physically by an employee or are being operated on the company’s premises. Facebook made no attempt at abiding by the rules and engaged in behavior that many people are suggesting may actually have been criminal in nature.
But hey, if you want to shill for them and blame Apple, go ahead.
Maybe the powers that be will finally take notice and start regulating privacy and big data. But more than likely, nothing will become of this. At least Apple slapped down Facebook like a mosquito.
I expect you just hate Apple because they are Apple.
However, this is a case where this Enterprise Developer Program which was given to trusted sources, and I expect were told to play by the rules, with their elevated rights and freedom, which Facebook abused.
It is like you welcomed a friend into you home. They are allowed to get some food out of the fridge if they were hungry or thirsty. They took the dessert you had made for after dinner, and it was rather obvious that was its intent. So this person abused the privilege they were granted, and you have the right to kick them out of your house or not invite them back in again.
From Star Trek VI: Let us redefine progress to mean that just because we can do a thing, it does not necessarily mean we must do that thing.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
So now we have Apple essentially ban hammering an application outside the app store. Think about that. If you have an enterprise, and your write an application, to run on devices you have purchased; Apple might still come along and disable it; if they don't like you or it!
F***ing nonsense. The whole point is that they _didn't_ run the app on devices that FaceBook purchased.