Apple Removes Facebook’s VPN App From App Store

Apple has removed 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 the VPN app does not comply with the new privacy rules set up in June this year. The latest set of regulations are charted to limit the data harvested by third-party apps.

The Onavo Protect app allows users to surf the web through a virtual private network which directs the traffic to a private server owned by Facebook. The main purpose of the app is to collect data which Facebook uses for analyzing the app usage pattern of individuals. Zuckerberg admitted in his testimony that the data collected from the VPN app is used for improving their 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 remove the app voluntarily. According to a person involved in the meeting, the ‘cordial’ discussion resulted in Facebook accepting the decision to remove the app.

This is a huge blow for Facebook which is already facing criticism from left and right for the misuse of users’ data for their own benefits.

On the other hand, Apple has yet again proved that privacy matters to them and they would not bend in any case.

The Onavo Protect app has been removed from the Apple App Store, but there will be no effect on those who have already downloaded the application except no updates. The app is still available on Google Play Store.

What do you make of Apple’s decision? Express your views in the comment section.

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