Author: Damien Mason / Source: KitGuru
Earlier this week, Facebook was revealed to be running a secret program that paid users between 13 and 35-years-old up to $20 per month to install an application that provided the company near-unrestricted access to their smartphone activity. The social network wasn’t alone in its efforts, as Google has also been engaging in similar data collection practices.
Internally known as “Project Atlas,” Facebook began distributing an application meant for internal purposes to consumers, offering gift cards for participation. After breaking the news, TechCrunch explained that Facebook tried to cover its tracks by running the program through testing services such as Applause, BetaBound and uTest.
According to Guardian Mobile Firewall’s security expert Will Strafach, Facebook’s Research app gives access to private messages across social media and instant messaging apps, photos, videos, emails, search history and even location. Facebook quickly tried to downplay the controversy by stating it had voluntarily removed its Research app from the Apple Store, but it turns out that the company had its license revoked for breaching terms and conditions.
“We designed our Enterprise Developer Program solely for the internal distribution of apps within an organization,” explained Apple. “Facebook has been…
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