Nearly one decade ago, a commercial appeared on screens around the world informing the world that the Apple (AAPL) App Store was open, and had within its walls over 250,000 apps for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Curious about how many calories you burn when you go to the bathroom? There’s an app for that. Want to order a pizza at
Apple’s (AAPL) tagline has spawned ten years of smartphone applications capable of doing quite possibly anything and everything you could imagine. In fact, the App Store created a powerful sub-sect of the tech industry, with startups basing their entire existence on hopes and prayers that users will download their apps.
According to a TechCrunch report released at the tail-end of last month, Facebook (FB) was caught paying users ages 13 to 35 up to $20 per month plus referral fees in exchange for installing the iOS or Android “Facebook Research” app.
While this may seem like a great way for a pretty wide age demographic to make some extra cheddar, “Facebook Research” is a VPN that the social media giant uses to siphon and analyze user phone activity to gather data on usage habits. Facebook (FB) admitted to TechCrunch that they’ve been paying “spy teens” since 2016 for their data activity, including going so far as to ask users to “screenshot their Amazon order history page.”
Immediately following the release of the TechCrunch report, Facebook shutdown its iOS version of its Research app after being issued a “gag-order” by Apple (AAPL).
“We designed our Enterprise Developer Program solely for the internal distribution of apps within an organization. Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple. Any developer using their enterprise certificates to distribute apps to consumers will have their certificates revoked, which is what we did in his case to protect our users and their data.”
-Apple spokesperson regarding Facebook Research app
In the weeks following Facebook’s (FB) punishment, TechCrunch discovered that other companies have been openly abusing Apple’s (AAPL) Enterprise Certificate program.
After further investigation, it was discovered that a dozen or so hardcore pornography apps and multiple real-money gamboling apps were available for download on the iOS app store. TechCrunch blames Apple’s (AAPL) laid-back standards for allowing businesses to work within the confines of their enterprise program.
The only parameters developers have to satisfy when applying include paying a $299 fee, as well as completing a pledge that states developers will build an Enterprise Certificate app solely for internal employee-only use, and that they have legal authority to do so, all of which are easily fabricated.
Per the TechCrunch investigation, Apple (AAPL) refused to say whether it performs any sort of audit on developers who are granted certificates for the program, or if they plan on making the admission process more difficult.
“Developers that use our enterprise certificates are in violation of the Apple Developer Enterprise Program Agreement and will have their certificates terminated, and if appropriate, they will be removed from our Developer Program completely. We are continuously evaluating the cases of misuse and are prepared to take immediate action.”
–Apple Spokesperson statement regarding TechCrunch report
As much of a PR nightmare this must be for Apple (AAPL), I am not surprised with the findings from the investigation. The internet is an invaluable resource which gives us access to limitless amounts of information, but there is a danger to that access. Some people wish to share inappropriate content online, and as a leader in the tech industry, Apple (AAPL) needs to tighten up its admission-standards for developers looking to put explicit content on the iOS app store.
