Facebook Pulls Its Data-Harvesting Onavo VPN From App Store After Apple Says It Violates Rules

Facebook has yanked its vampiric Onavo Protect service — which aim to be a privacy - heighten Virtual Private internet ( VPN ) but is by all indicationsdata - harvesting Facebook spyware — from Apple ’s App Store . TheWall Street Journalreports that a reservoir say Facebook was compelled to remove the app after Apple “ rein that the service outrage its data - assemblage policies . ”

VPNs put to work by code substance abuser ’ traffic and re - directing it through a private server to avoid third - party examination , such as by an internet service supplier . Good VPNs are run by companies that do n’t snoop on the dealings routed through those server . But while Facebook bills Onavo as a way to “ keep you and your data safe , ” the app actually collects large sum of data point for the social medium meshing ’s own purposes . It is more or less spyware , and tens of millions of peoplehave downloaded it .

in the beginning this year , Appleupdated its secrecy guidelinesto prohibit apps that collect information about “ which other apps are installed on a user ’s gimmick for the purposes of analytics or advertising / marketing”—something that seemed like a verbatim answer to services like Onavo . Per the Journal ’s report , that terminate up being exactly the case :

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.

Earlier this month , Apple officials informed Facebook that the app break new rules outlined in June design to limit datum collection by app developers , the person familiar with the situation articulate . Apple inform Facebook that Onavo also violated a part of its developer accord that prevents apps from using data in way that go beyond what is forthwith relevant to the app or to provide advertising , the person added .

The two sides discussed the upshot in meetings last week , at least one of which took seat at Apple ’s headquarters . On Thursday , Apple functionary suggested that Facebook voluntarily take down the Onavo app and Facebook agree , said the individual , who described the discussions as cordial .

Removing Onavo from the App Store wo n’t automatically delete it from phones that have already installed it , but Facebook can no longer update it , the Journal added . The rootage evidence the paper Facebook has no plan to jerk the app from Google ’s Play Store .

William Duplessie

Apple state the Journal in a statement that the decision was part of overall attempt to “ protect drug user privacy and datum throughout the Apple ecosystem , ” though a Facebook representative insist Onavo was up front about what data point was being collected and the determination was strictly about respecting Apple ’s rule . However , asCNBC notice , in the past Facebook has been coy about letting exploiter cognise that they own the Israeli - based service . Other reports have indicated the app continue tocollect data on userseven when VPN functionality is turned off .

Facebook has insisted it does not harvest information through Onavo for ad purposes or tie it to individual user ’ social medium account . But it didtell members of Congressin June that it apply Onavo data for intimate analytics on what apps are popular and how people are using them — a tactic that loan datum to its determination to corrupt encrypted chat service WhatsAppin 2015 for $ 22 billion .

This is the latest in a serial of major user privacy vexation for Facebook , which have include everything from theCambridge Analytica scandaltodata - sharing arrangementswith equipment manufacturers . Yet the company has been under press to find novel source of revenue asuser growth has cap out , which means harvest even more user information . In recent months , Facebook has been reported to be devise acreepy in - electronic web dating serviceand seeking ways to get exploiter to volunteer sensitivebanking and credit bill of fare data .

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