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Yesterday, Apple tree killed Facebook'southward access to internal iOS applications after it discovered the company was abusing its enterprise software applications to run ambitious data monitoring collection on teenagers. Today, it did the aforementioned affair to Google.

Google's application, dubbed Screenwise Meter, appears to take been very similar to what Facebook deployed. Users had to exist at least xviii unless they were part of a family, in which example thirteen yr-olds could bring together. Similar Facebook, Google abused Apple's enterprise certificates — which are simply intended for internal use inside a company — to collect information on every aspect of a user's digital life.

When contacted about the issue, Google attempted to pass it off every bit a fault, challenge:

The Screenwise Meter iOS app should non accept operated under Apple'southward developer enterprise program — this was a mistake, and we apologize. We have disabled this app on iOS devices. This app is completely voluntary and always has been. We've been upfront with users nearly the way we use their information in this app, we have no access to encrypted data in apps and on devices, and users tin can opt out of the program at any time.

It's not clear when Screenwise explicitly launched on iOS. The earliest references to Screenwise online don't mention a mobile awarding until 2014 (Screenwise launched in 2012). This article also explicitly mentions the age target: 13 and older,noteighteen and over unless you are office of a family. And, as Techcrunch points out, the video below was released on August 29. The program was active correct up until the present day.

It also isn't articulate when the application began requiring users to sideload an enterprise document to allow Google to track them more than aggressively. This may have been a "feature" of the programme from the very outset, or it may have rolled out post-launch. Either way, this isn't the kind of fault that companies make past blow. Google had pages (now deleted, but thank-you Google Cache) walking people through the process of sideloading the app.

Information technology's so adventitious, they wrote an entire help page to walk yous through the process

You can argue that Google was more ethical in how it treated the situation, given that it didn't explicitly target teenagers for at least part of the time the program was running and was more than upfront well-nigh the types of information it nerveless. But regardless, this is still an abuse of Apple's enterprise policies. Beyond that, it shows only how rapacious companies are when it comes to seizing data they shouldn't have a right to in the first identify. Not only was Google willing to hoover up people's data in exchange for some souvenir cards, it was willing to break its corporate agreements with Apple tree to do it.

Does Apple Deserve Any Credit?

At commencement glance, Apple looks like the good guy in this state of affairs, locking down its servers and preventing corruption by companies similar Google and Facebook. Writing for The Atlantic, Ian Bogost argues that this isn't the case.

Apple tree didn't take a position on Facebook's cosmos of a paid "research" program to extract data from users. It enforced the terms of a licensing agreement; appearing to fight for user privacy is just a side consequence. Apple is flexing its contract-constabulary muscle, not its privacy muscle, and gaining a publicity win in the procedure. Crucially, Apple tree didn't ban Facebook from the App Store or the iPhone platform: You can all the same download and use Messenger.

Bogost has a point. If Apple wanted to go serious nearly punishing Facebook or Google, information technology could stop partnering with Google on search. Information technology could cease distributing Google and Facebook apps. It could put stronger limits on the types of data social media sites and search engines are allowed to collect off iOS devices and then enforce those limits when companies stepped over the line. At the very least, Apple could warn users upon installation that the companies who congenital the apps in question cannot be trusted with private user information.

Taking such steps would undoubtedly anger iOS users who rely on Google Maps, G Suite, Gmail, and Facebook — simply it would as well represent a genuinely courageous stand. Banning Facebook and Google from its enterprise application suite is nothing more a slap on the wrist for either visitor. As demonstrations of courage become, it's weak. And given that an Apple tree spokesperson has already told Buzzfeed that "Nosotros are working together with Google to help them reinstate their enterprise certificates very quickly," even that weak penalty is likely to exist over soon.

Update two/1/19 9:05am EST:Apple has now restored Google'south internal iOS app admission.

At present Read:

  • Apple Kills Facebook'southward Internal iOS Apps After Latest Privacy Blunder
  • Facebook Used Its VPN to Spy on Other Companies, Users
  • No One Wants to Talk About How Completely We Were Lied to