Apple Unblocks Facebook From Running Internal Apps

Apple has unblocked Facebook’s apps for its employees to test and use internally.

Facebook’s enterprise certificates were yanked after Apple found that the company avoided the review process for consumer apps. On the other hand, it used a program which lets companies launch apps for their staff to use and test.

The social network later released the Facebook Research app to iOS users, it paid a monthly $20 to some users in exchange for access to their phones and web activities to conduct market research. By using the software, Facebook can collect data on users’ web search, private messages, and location data.

Apple’s action has come after Facebook got itself in a series of troubles, raising questions about its leaders, including COO Sheryl Sandberg and especially CEO Mark Zuckerberg. According to NYT’s report, the pair neglected warnings and diverted accusations when Facebook-related scandals were increasing.

There has also been the criticism of Facebook’s failure in protecting for protecting security and data privacy for its 2.3 billion users. Accordingly, the company allowed tech firms to access user data than it announced and was attacked by a software bug causing the exposure of photos of 6.8 million users to third-party. In another security breach, the UK consultancy Cambridge Analytica also obtained data from as many as 87 million people without permission.

Apple initially stopped Facebook from offering its research app to iOS users. Then, the iPhone maker revoked Facebook’s enterprise certificates, affecting its internal app including a ride-hailing app and a workplace version of the Facebook. Apple’s action also prevented the social network from testing its new feature before releasing to consumers.

On Thursday, a spokesperson from Facebook said that: