Facebook violates Apple’s data-gathering rules, pulls VPN from App Store

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Facebook is the latest company to violate Apple's new app guidelines surrounding data collection. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Facebook pulled Onavo Protect, a VPN app, from Apple's App Store after the iPhone maker determined that Onavo violated its data-collection rules.

Facebook purchased the Israeli company Onavo back in 2013. Since then, its free-to-download app has been marketed as a VPN service that blocks harmful websites and keeps users' personal data safe.

However, Onavo also allows Facebook to track and analyze customer usage data. That treasure trove of data lets Facebook understand how customers use their mobile devices when they're not using the main Facebook app. The app's description in the Google Play Store (where it remains available to download) includes a statement about how Onavo works to Facebook's benefit.

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