SecureWorld News

Facebook Pulls Its VPN App Over Data Collection Policies

Written by SecureWorld News Team | Mon | Aug 27, 2018 | 6:10 PM Z

It sounds like Facebook and Apple had a face to face last week about Facebook's Onavo Protect VPN app which was in the Apple App Store.

Notice we said was in the App Store.

Following the meeting, Facebook voluntarily removed the app, and it no longer is available for download.

Graham Cluley reports on the latest privacy concerns swirling around Facebook:

Facebook has withdrawn its Onavo Protect VPN app from the iOS App Store after Apple determined that it was breaking data-collection policies.

The app, which was free to download, promoted itself as helping users keep themselves and their data safe when you go online, “blocking potentially harmful websites and securing your personal information.”

What users of Onavo may not have realized was that the app was also being used by Facebook to collect information about other apps installed on a user’s iPhone.