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https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/30/18203551/apple-facebook-blocked-internal-ios-apps
Apple has shut down Facebook’s ability to distribute internal iOS apps, from early releases of the Facebook app to basic tools like a lunch menu. A person familiar with the situation tells The Verge that early versions of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and other pre-release “dogfood” (beta) apps have stopped working, as have other employee apps, like one for transportation. Facebook is treating this as a critical problem internally, we’re told, as the affected apps simply don’t launch on employees’ phones anymore.

The shutdown comes in response to news that Facebook has been using Apple’s program for internal app distribution to track teenage customers with a “research” app.

That app, revealed yesterday by TechCrunch, was distributed outside of the App Store using Apple’s enterprise program, which allows developers to use special certificates to install more powerful apps onto iPhones. Those apps are only supposed to be used by a company’s employees, however, and Facebook had been distributing its tracking app to customers. Facebook later said it would shut down the app.

This poses a huge issue for Facebook. While Apple provides other tools a company can use to install apps internally, Apple’s enterprise program is the main solution for widely distributing internal apps and services. In an email, a Facebook spokesperson said “I can confirm that this affects our internal apps.”

In a statement given to Recode, Apple said that Facebook was in “clear breach of their agreement with Apple.” Any developer that breaches that agreement, Apple said, has their distribution certificates revoked, “which is what we did in this case to protect our users and their data.” Apple declined to comment on shutting down all of Facebook’s internal apps in an email to The Verge.

Revoking a certificate not only stops apps from being distributed on iOS, but it also stops apps from working. And because internal apps by the same organization or developer may be connected to a single certificate, it can lead to immense headaches like the one Facebook now finds itself in where a multitude of internal apps have been shut down.

Apple and Facebook have already been bickering over privacy, but this is the first instance of Apple taking an action that directly shuts down some of Facebook’s activities. Last March, Apple CEO Tim Cook criticized Facebook’s handling of the Cambridge Analytica data sharing scandal, saying, “I wouldn’t be in this situation” if he were running the company. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg later said the comments were “extremely glib” and spoke of Apple as a company that “work hard to charge you more.”
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Facebook getting exposed doing more shady immoral data harvesting for the sweet golden-green bills? Color me shocked.

And nothing of value was lost. Goddamn I hope that company burns to the ground soon.
 
wylfım said:
Facebook getting exposed doing more shady immoral data harvesting for the sweet golden-green bills? Color me shocked.

And nothing of value was lost. Goddamn I hope that company burns to the ground soon.
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You know what the really fucked up part is?

The only reason this is happening to Facebook is the "Facebook helped hack the election" meme. TDS is driving it all.
 
frozenrunner said:
You know what the really fucked up part is?

The only reason this is happening to Facebook is the "Facebook helped hack the election" meme. TDS is driving it all.
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Eh, yeah the motivations are wrong, but at least it's bringing death to one of the most toxic companies ever created under capitalism. I really fucking hate that site. I don't care how it happens, I just want them gone from this planet. So it's still a good thing in my book. If killing facebook means more internet spergs, so be it.
 
garakfan69 said:
Google is doing the same thing.
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wow google gathering data sounds interesting
5964189518961.png
:thinking:
 
But how do we know that Apple hasn't been using the data that Facebook gave deep access to them and other giant companies as well?
 
While I do like seeing all these companies fight on each other I sort of worry that one of them will come out on top and consume the others.
Cyberpunk dystopia here we come.
 
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HiddenFist said:
But how do we know that Apple hasn't been using the data that Facebook gave deep access to them and other giant companies as well?
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It's essentially a virtue signalling war. They've know for a long time. They share this data with each other all the time. Apple just turned and backstabbed Facebook because Facebook is weak right now and, that'll gain them more popularity points and distract from the fact that they're doing the exact same things.
 
wylfım said:
It's essentially a virtue signalling war. They've know for a long time. They share this data with each other all the time. Apple just turned and backstabbed Facebook because Facebook is weak right now and, that'll gain them more popularity points and distract from the fact that they're doing the exact same things.
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Exactly. What I meant in my post above is that the only reason most normal people are turning their backs on Facebook is over political ideology. The companies? They're just using this as leverage over their enemies.

I never had any interest in seeing The Social Network, but the truth of this period of Facebook's decline would make a great story.
 
I know it's poor form to make quick pointless replies but "CRIPPLE FIGHT" comes to my mind like no other.

Really neither of these are weak or small companies, but this as said before are them dick wacking each other to boost an ego that helps the little man.

I may know nothing of computing or stuff like that but I do go out of the way to not use google or fb products unless I have to.
 
I love seeing Facebook take such a brutal punch in the nose (this has got to be an immensely aggravating problem internally if even half of their employees actually use these internal apps on a regular basis for business-related tasks), but I hope this ends up giving Apple a good smack too. Apple isn't just quietly addressing the issue privately, they're virtue signaling instead and taking a swipe at Facebook while screwing with their ability to conduct regular business.

There's two lessons for a business of any size to take from this situation. One is that you cannot trust Apple with any aspect of your company's operations for any reason or purpose whatsoever because of their ability (and demonstrated willingness) to switch it all off at their whim when you offend them somehow. Your business should never buy Apple hardware or run Apple software -- it's too much risk.

The other lesson is that you cannot trust Apple to deal with you with discretion or to protect your privacy. The "fappening" taught the public that about trusting Apple with their private information and photos/videos. This incident should teach companies the same thing -- not only will Apple fuck with you and your business if you offend them, they'll do it publicly and proudly just to embarrass you further.

They're only still in business because of marketing wank, stupid hipsters and a small core of captured markets (video/audio production, namely). There is a massive opportunity for a clever company to come along and build products to compete in those captured markets and free more people from Apple's grasp. Hopefully incidents like this push that kind of development along.
 
I can't help but wonder how differently Apple would be acting now if Jobs hadn't died. He just seemed too autistic to put up with this SocJus shit.
 
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