{{short description|Israeli mobile web analytics company owned by Meta Platforms}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox company | name = Onavo, Inc. | logo = Onavo logo.png | type = [[Subsidiary]] | industry = [[Software]] | fate = | predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = --> | successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> | founded = 2010 | founders = {{ubl|Guy Rosen|Roi Tiger}} | defunct = 2019 | hq_location_city = | hq_location_country = [[Israel]] | area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = --> | key_people = | products = {{ubl|Onavo Count|Onavo Extend|Onavo Protect}} | services = Onavo Insights | owner = <!-- or: | owners = --> | num_employees = | num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) --> | parent = [[Meta Platforms|Facebook, Inc.]] | website = {{URL|onavo.com}} }} '''Onavo, Inc.''' was an Israeli [[mobile web analytics]] company that was purchased by Facebook, Inc. (now [[Meta Platforms]]), who changed the company's name to '''Facebook Israel'''.<ref>[https://www.checkid.co.il/company/%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A7-%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C-%D7%91%D7%A2~%D7%9E-514439256 Facebook Israel LTD]</ref> The company primarily performed its activities via consumer [[mobile app]]s, including the [[virtual private network]] (VPN) service Onavo Protect, which analysed [[web traffic]] sent through the VPN to provide statistics on the usage of other apps.
Guy Rosen and Roi Tiger founded Onavo in 2010. In October 2013, Onavo was acquired by Facebook, which used Onavo's analytics platform to monitor competitors. This influenced [[Meta Platforms|Facebook]] to make [[List of mergers and acquisitions by Facebook|various business decisions]], including its 2014 [[Mergers and acquisitions|acquisition]] of [[WhatsApp]].
Since the acquisition, Onavo was frequently classified as being [[spyware]], as the VPN was used to monetize application usage data collected within an allegedly privacy-focused environment. In August 2018, Facebook was forced to pull Onavo Protect from the [[iOS]] [[App Store (iOS)|App Store]] due to violations of [[Apple Inc|Apple's]] policy forbidding apps from collecting data on the usage of other apps. In February 2019, in response to criticism over a Facebook [[market research]] program employing similar techniques (including, in particular, being targeted towards teens), Onavo announced that it would close the Android version of Protect as well.
== History == Onavo was founded in 2010 by Roi Tiger and Guy Rosen.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-06-02|title=The Israeli bringing Facebook next billion users - Globes|url=https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-facebook-opening-development-center-in-israel-1001091004|date=24 December 2015|website=[[Globes (newspaper)|Globes]]|first=Roy|last=Goldenberg}}</ref> Onavo won multiple awards in 2011. The company received first prize at the Mobile Beat 2011 conference hosted by ''[[VentureBeat]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://venturebeat.com/2012/01/24/onavo-raises-10m/|title = Mobile data shrinking app Onavo raises $10M, working on compression for Android|date = Jan 24, 2012|website = Venture Beat|last = Hardawar|first = Devindra|access-date = September 7, 2017|archive-date = April 1, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170401143912/https://venturebeat.com/2012/01/24/onavo-raises-10m/|url-status = dead}}</ref> and the award for most innovative app at the 2011 International Startup Festival, as well as being selected as the "Best Mobile Startup" by ''[[The Next Web]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://thenextweb.com/eu/2011/04/29/meet-onavo-crunching-mobile-data-to-save-you-money-video-interview-tnw2011/|title = Meet Onavo, crunching mobile data to save you money [Video Interview] #TNW2011|website = The Next Web| date=April 29, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://thenextweb.com/eu/2011/04/29/and-the-next-web-startup-rally-winner-is-silk-tnw2011/|title = And The Next Web Startup Rally Winner is…SILK #TNW2011|website = The Next Web| date=April 29, 2011 }}</ref>
Onavo had two rounds of funding: the first was a Series A investment for $3 million from Magma Venture Partners and [[Sequoia Capital]] in May 2011.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-06-02|title=Data shrinking co Onavo raises $3m in first round - Globes|url=https://en.globes.co.il/en/article--1000646529|date=18 May 2011|website=[[Globes (newspaper)|Globes]]|first=Noa|last=Parag}}</ref> The second was a Series B investment of $13 million from Magma Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Horizons Ventures. Onavo's sale to Facebook is one of the top exits for Magma Venture Partners and other [[Venture capital in Israel|Israeli venture capital firms]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-vc-raises-825m-in-new-funds-in-6-months-1000998636|title = Israeli VC raises $855m in new funds in 6 months|date = Jan 5, 2015|website = Globes|last = Goldenberg|first = Roy}}</ref>
On October 13, 2013, [[Meta Platforms|Facebook]] bought Onavo for approximately $120 million.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = https://techcrunch.com/2013/10/13/facebook-buys-mobile-analytics-company-onavo-and-finally-gets-its-office-in-israel/|title = Facebook Buys Mobile Data Analytics Company Onavo, Reportedly For Up To $200M… And (Finally?) Gets Its Office In Israel|date = Oct 13, 2013|website = TechCrunch|last = Lunden|first = Ingrid}}</ref><ref name="TechCrunch Jan 2019"/><ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 30, 2019|first=Guy|last=Rosen|title=We are joining the Facebook team|url=http://blog.onavo.com/2013/10/joining-facebook|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107004328/http://blog.onavo.com/2013/10/joining-facebook|date=November 7, 2013|website=Onavo Blog|archive-date=November 7, 2013}}</ref>
In March 2014, [[Adi Soffer Teeni]] was appointed CEO of Facebook Israel.
In an email dated June 9, 2016, Facebook CEO [[Mark Zuckerberg]] directed engineers at his company to find a method of obtaining "reliable analytics" about [[Snapchat]], which he noted that Facebook lacked due to Snapchat's network traffic being encrypted.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-03-26 |title=Facebook snooped on users' Snapchat traffic in secret project, documents reveal |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/26/facebook-secret-project-snooped-snapchat-user-traffic/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326211851/https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/26/facebook-secret-project-snooped-snapchat-user-traffic/ |archive-date=2024-03-26 |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=[[TechCrunch]] |language=en-US}}</ref> The solution Facebook engineers proposed to Zuckerberg's directive was to use Onavo, which allowed the company to read network traffic on a device prior to its being encrypted, thereby giving the company the ability "to measure detailed in-app activity" and to collect analytics on Snapchat app usage from devices on which Onavo was installed.<ref name=":1" /> It did this by creating "fake digital certificates to impersonate trusted Snapchat, YouTube, and Amazon analytics servers to redirect and decrypt secure traffic from those apps for Facebook’s strategic analysis."<ref>{{cite news |last=Belanger |first=Ashley |date=March 27, 2024 |title=Facebook secretly spied on Snapchat usage to confuse advertisers, court docs say |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/facebook-secretly-spied-on-snapchat-usage-to-confuse-advertisers-court-docs-say/ |website=Ars Technica}}</ref> The program, which was named "Project Ghostbusters" in reference to Snapchat's ghost-shaped logo, was later expanded to include [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] and [[YouTube]].<ref name=":1" />
In February 2018, it was reported that Facebook had begun to include advertising for the Onavo Protect app within the Facebook app for [[iOS]] users in the United States. This led to denouncements of the app by media outlets, who classified Onavo as [[spyware]] because it is used by Facebook to monetize usage habits within a privacy-focused environment, and because the app listing did not contain a prominent disclosure of Facebook's ownership.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/12/facebook-starts-pushing-its-data-tracking-onavo-vpn-within-its-main-mobile-app/|title=Facebook is pushing its data-tracking Onavo VPN within its main mobile app|last=Perez|first=Sarah|work=TechCrunch|access-date=February 14, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref name="ExtremeTech" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itpro.co.uk/security/30542/facebooks-protect-security-feature-is-essentially-spyware|title=Facebook's Protect security feature is essentially Spyware|work=IT PRO|access-date=February 14, 2018|language=en}}</ref> The app's listings were later amended to disclaim that Onavo Protect may collect information on app and website usage to improve Facebook products and services.<ref>{{cite news|date=August 23, 2018|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Facebook violates Apple's data-gathering rules, pulls VPN from App Store|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/facebook-violates-apples-data-gathering-rules-pulls-vpn-from-app-store/|website=Ars Technica|last=Palladino|first=Valentina}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Apple Boots Facebook's Nosy VPN Out of App Store|url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/apple-facebook-onavo,news-27869.html|last=Wagonseil|first=Paul|website=Tom's Guide|date=August 23, 2018}}</ref>
In August 2018, Facebook pulled Onavo Protect from the iOS [[App Store (iOS)|App Store]] after pressure by Apple, who declared it a violation of guidelines barring apps from harvesting data from other apps on a user's device.{{refn|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/22/apple-facebook-onavo/|title=Apple removed Facebook's Onavo from the App Store for gathering app data|work=TechCrunch|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/22/17771298/facebook-onavo-protect-apple-app-store-pulled-privacy-concerns|title=Facebook will pull its data-collecting VPN app from the App Store over privacy concerns|work=The Verge|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Fast Company">{{cite news|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Apple makes Facebook pull its spyware(ish) VPN from the App Store|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90224974/apple-makes-facebook-pull-its-spywareish-vpn-from-the-app-store|last=Grothaus|first=Michael|website=Fast Company|date=August 23, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Gizmodo">{{cite news|first1=Tom|last1=McKay|date=August 22, 2018|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Facebook Pulls Its Data-Harvesting Onavo VPN From App Store After Apple Says It Violates Rules|url=https://gizmodo.com/facebook-pulls-its-data-harvesting-onavo-vpn-from-app-s-1828541718|website=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref name="9to5Mac">{{cite news|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=At Apple's request, Facebook is removing its spyware-like Onavo VPN app from the App Store|url=https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/22/facebook-protect-app-store/|last=Miller|first=Chance|website=9to5Mac|date=August 22, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Mashable">{{cite news|first1=Jack|last1=Morse|date=August 22, 2018|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Facebook to pull its creepy VPN Onavo from App Store after Apple pushback|url=https://mashable.com/article/facebook-pulls-onavo-from-app-store/#onnCD7Pojiqf|website=Mashable}}</ref>}}
On February 21, 2019, in the wake of renewed controversy over the service due to the related [[#Facebook_Research|Facebook Research]] program, Facebook announced that it would sunset Onavo Protect VPN and pull its app from [[Google Play Store]]. Effective immediately, the service ceased collecting personal data.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/21/facebook-removes-onavo/|title=Facebook will shut down its spyware VPN app Onavo|website=TechCrunch|date=February 22, 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-22}}</ref>
The [[Australian Competition & Consumer Commission]] (ACCC) initiated legal proceedings against Facebook on December 16, 2020, alleging that Facebook engaged in "false, misleading or deceptive conduct" by using personal data collected from Onavo "for its own commercial purposes" contrary to Onavo's privacy-oriented marketing. Facebook responded that it was "always clear about the information we collect and how it is used", and would defend itself in court.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spadafora |first1=Anthony |title=Facebook sued for using VPN to spy on users |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/facebook-sued-for-using-vpn-to-spy-on-users |website=[[TechRadar]] |access-date=7 January 2021 |language=en |date=16 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Duckett |first1=Chris |title=Facebook dragged to court by ACCC over deceptive VPN conduct allegations |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/facebook-dragged-to-court-by-accc-over-deceptive-vpn-conduct-allegations/ |website=[[ZDNet]]|access-date=7 January 2021 |language=en |date=December 16, 2020}}</ref> In July 2023 [[Federal Court of Australia|Australia's Federal Court]] ordered Facebook's owner to pay {{AUD|20 million}} for failing to disclose how Onavo would be used to collect data, as well as {{AUD|400,000}} to cover the ACCC's legal fees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kaye |first1=Byron |title=Australia fines Facebook owner Meta $14 million for undisclosed data collection |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/australia-court-fines-facebook-owner-meta-14-mln-undisclosed-data-collection-2023-07-26/ |access-date=27 March 2024 |work=Reuters |date=26 July 2023}}</ref>
In 2016, [[Jordana Cutler]], who had previously served as the director of Ambassador [[Ron Dermer]]'s office and as an advisor to Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]], was appointed as Public Policy Director for Facebook Israel.<ref>[https://www.calcalist.co.il/internet/articles/0,7340,L-3690494,00.html Facebook's new weapon: former Netanyahu advisor appointed as director of government relations], on [[Calcalist]]</ref> In September 2016, Israel's Minister of Justice [[Ayelet Shaked]] and Minister of Internal Security [[Gilad Erdan]] introduced a bill aimed at curbing online [[incitement]] and [[hate speech]], imposing restrictions on the dissemination of illegal and offensive content on the Internet and social media platforms. Dubbed the "Facebook Law" by the media, the proposal garnered widespread support within the government. Between 2016 and 2018, it passed through various stages of approval: first gaining endorsement from the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, then advancing through preliminary and first readings in the Knesset Plenum, making it eligible for consideration in the [[Constitution, Law and Justice Committee]]. In July 2018, the committee greenlit the bill for its second and third readings, setting the stage for final ratification by the Knesset plenary. However, at the eleventh hour, Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] unexpectedly intervened to halt the process.<ref>[https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3742583,00.html Netanyahu Pulls the Plug on Law to Fight Facebook 'Incitement'], on [[Calcalist]]</ref> In response, [[Nissan Slomiansky]], chairman of the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, asserted that the sudden reversal was prompted by pressure from "large forces" with vested interests.<ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/249119 'Facebook Law balances security and free speech'], on [[Arutz Sheva]]</ref> Media reports speculated that [[Jordana Cutler]], Netanyahu's former advisor who serves as Facebook's Public Policy Director in Israel, played a pivotal role in influencing the Prime Minister's decision to block the legislation.<ref>[https://www.themarker.com/news/politics/2023-01-12/ty-article/.premium/00000185-a51b-d4d9-a3b5-ef7bf8e80000 Back to Netanyahu's inner circle: Jordana Cutler expected to be appointed by Ron Dermer as Ministry of Stragic Affairs' director], on [[TheMarker]]</ref> Lawyer [[Itai Leshem]], claimed during his campaign in the [[2024 Israeli Labor Party leadership election]], that this was part of an ongoing alleged [[bribe]] between PM Netanyahu and Facebook.<ref>[https://www.labor.org.il/havoda/87-primary2024-chair/24552-itai-leshem-runs-for-havoda-chair.html Itai Leshem runs for Havoda chair], in Labor's Bama Raayonit website.</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |user=Itai_Leshem |number=1786664658947969444 |first=Itai |last=Leshem |title=אנשים לא מכירים את המציאות שאני חי בה... |language=he |trans-title=People don't know the reality I live in...}}</ref><ref>[https://itaileshem.medium.com/israels-ag-is-investigating-collusion-between-facebook-netanyahu-to-tilt-israel-s-april-2019-991289e506cb Itai Leshem: I have evidence proving Facebook colluded with Netanyahu to tilt Israeli elections.], on [[Medium (website)|Medium]].</ref>
== Products == Onavo maintained consumer-oriented utility apps, including Onavo Count, which tracked [[Bandwidth (computing)|bandwidth]] usage by apps, as well as Onavo Extend and Onavo Protect, which were [[VPN services]] for [[data compression]] and security, respectively.{{refn|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/10/30/onavo-count-app-data-usage-tracker-for-ios/|title=Data hungry apps revealed with Onavo Count, free usage tracker for iOS|work=Engadget|access-date=February 14, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="tc-insights">{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/02/08/onavo-insights/|title=Finally, A Quantcast For Mobile Apps? Onavo Launches Insights|last=Cutler|first=Kim-Mai|work=TechCrunch|access-date=February 14, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/how-to/onavo-extend-helps-you-use-less-data-on-android-4-0/|title=Onavo Extend helps you use less data on Android|date=August 30, 2012|work=CNET|access-date=February 14, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref name="ExtremeTech">{{Cite news|url=https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/263867-facebooks-new-onavo-protect-vpn-spyware-application|title=Facebook's New 'Onavo Protect' VPN is a Spyware App|date=February 14, 2018|work=ExtremeTech|access-date=February 14, 2018|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828182628/https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/263867-facebooks-new-onavo-protect-vpn-spyware-application|archive-date=August 28, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
In 2013, the company launched Onavo Insights, a [[Mobile web analytics|mobile analytics]] platform that tracked the [[market share]] and active usage of apps using data obtained from Onavo's consumer apps.<ref name="tc-insights"/> In 2016, CEO [[Mark Zuckerberg]] tasked Facebook employees with developing a means to decrypt the network traffic of the video sharing app [[Snapchat]] for analytics purposes, citing "how quickly they're growing". A method of intercepting the traffic was developed and proposed by the Onavo team; Facebook internally referred to its analytics scheme as "Project Ghostbusters"—an allusion to Snapchat's logo and the [[Ghostbusters (franchise)|film franchise]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-03-26 |title=Facebook snooped on users' Snapchat traffic in secret project, documents reveal |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/26/facebook-secret-project-snooped-snapchat-user-traffic/ |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Council |first=Stephen |title=Project 'Ghostbusters': Facebook secretly spied on Snapchat data, docs allege |url=https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/facebook-snapchat-project-ghostbusters-meta-19373667.php |access-date=2024-03-31 |work=SFGATE |language=en}}</ref>
In August 2017, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that since the acquisition of Onavo by Facebook, the company had been using the company's data to monitor Snapchat and other startups that are performing "unusually well". This data influenced Facebook to acquire [[WhatsApp]] in 2014, and plan a [[video chat]] app to rival [[Houseparty (app)|Houseparty]] in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-copycats-how-facebook-squashes-competition-from-startups-1502293444|title=The New Copycats: How Facebook Squashes Competition From Startups|last1=Morris|first1=Betsy|date=August 9, 2017|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=August 15, 2017|last2=Seetharaman|first2=Deepa|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/08/09/new-copycats-how-facebook-squashes-2.html|title=The New Copycats: How Facebook Squashes -2-|date=August 9, 2017|work=Fox Business|access-date=August 15, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/13/facebook-knew-about-snap-struggles-through-app-tracking/|title=Facebook knew about Snap's struggles months before the public|website=Engadget|date=August 13, 2017 |access-date=August 15, 2017}}</ref>
== Facebook Research == On January 29, 2019, [[TechCrunch]] published a report detailing "Project Atlas"—an internal [[market research]] program employed by Facebook since 2016. It invited users between the ages of 13 and 35 to install the Facebook Research app—allegedly a [[rebranded]] version of Onavo Protect—on their device, to collect data on their app usage, [[web browsing history]], [[Web search engine|web search]] history, [[Mobile phone tracking|location history]], [[personal message]]s, photos, videos, [[email]]s, and [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] order history. Participants received up to $20 per-month to participate in the program, which was promoted to [[teenager]]s via [[targeted advertising]] on [[Instagram]] and [[Snapchat]]. Facebook Research is administered by third-party [[beta testing]] services, including Applause and BetaBound, and requires users to install a Facebook [[root certificate]] on their phone. On iOS, this is prohibited by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s Enterprise Developer License Agreement, as the methods used are intended solely for use by a company's employees (for use cases such as internal software specific to their environment, and internal pre-release versions of apps).<ref name="TechCrunch Jan 2019">{{cite web|access-date=January 30, 2019|title=Facebook pays teens to install VPN that spies on them|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/facebook-project-atlas/|first=John|last=Constine|website=TechCrunch|date=January 29, 2019|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119184403/https://social.techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/facebook-project-atlas/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="recode-appleban">{{Cite web|url=https://www.recode.net/2019/1/30/18203231/apple-banning-facebook-research-app|title=Apple says it's banning Facebook's research app that collects users' personal information|last=Wagner|first=Kurt|date=January 30, 2019|website=Recode|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-date=June 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609072355/https://www.vox.com/2019/1/30/18203231/apple-banning-facebook-research-app|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Responses === Facebook initially responded by claiming that Facebook Research did not violate Apple's developer license agreement, and denied that the program was intended to bypass the rules that banned Onavo Protect from the iOS App Store, nor was intended to replace Onavo. Facebook later announced that it would discontinue the Facebook Research program on iOS. Facebook Research remains available for [[Android (operating system)|Android]] devices.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Casey|last1=Newton|access-date=January 30, 2019|title=Facebook will shut down its controversial market research app for iOS|url=https://www.theverge.com/facebook/2019/1/30/18203349/facebook-research-app-apple-shutdown|date=January 30, 2019|website=The Verge}}</ref><ref name="TechCrunch Jan 2019" />
On January 30, 2019, Apple revoked Facebook's Enterprise Developer Program [[Public key certificate|certificates]], which caused all of the company's internal iOS apps (including beta versions of its public software, as well as internal apps relating to Facebook's workplace) to become inoperable.<ref name="Recode Jan 2019">{{cite web |last1=Wagner |first1=Kurt |date=January 30, 2019 |title=Apple says it's banning Facebook's research app that collects users' personal information |url=https://www.recode.net/2019/1/30/18203231/apple-banning-facebook-research-app |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609072355/https://www.vox.com/2019/1/30/18203231/apple-banning-facebook-research-app |archive-date=2022-06-09 |access-date=January 30, 2019 |website=Recode}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Tom|last1=Warren|access-date=January 30, 2019|title=Apple blocks Facebook from running its internal iOS apps|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/30/18203551/apple-facebook-blocked-internal-ios-apps|date=January 30, 2019|website=The Verge}}</ref> Apple's [[public relations]] team stated that "Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple", and that the certificates were revoked "to protect our users and their data".<ref name="Recode Jan 2019" /> Apple reinstated the certificates on January 31.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Mike|last1=Isaac|access-date=2019-02-02|title=Apple Shows Facebook Who Has the Power in an App Dispute|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/technology/apple-blocks-facebook.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=31 January 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Of particular concern was that users as young as 13 were allowed to participate in the program. Connecticut Senator [[Richard Blumenthal]] criticized Facebook Research, stating "[[Telephone tapping|wiretapping]] teens is not research, and it should never be permissible. This is yet another astonishing example of Facebook’s complete disregard for data privacy and eagerness to engage in [[anti-competitive]] behavior."<ref name="TechCrunch senators">{{cite web|access-date=2019-01-31|title=Senator Warner calls on Zuckerberg to support market research consent rules|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/30/facebook-research-app/|date=30 January 2019|first=Josh|last=Constine|website=TechCrunch}}</ref><ref name="Wired senators">{{cite news|first1=Issie|last1=Lapowsky|access-date=2019-01-31|title=By Defying Apple's Rules, Facebook Shows It Never Learns|url=https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-research-app-lessons/|newspaper=Wired|date=30 January 2019|issn=1059-1028|via=www.wired.com}}</ref> Massachusetts Senator [[Ed Markey]] announced that he would introduce a bill to strengthen the [[Children's Online Privacy Protection Act]] (COPPA), and said that it "is inherently manipulative to offer teens money in exchange for their personal information when younger users don’t have a clear understanding how much data they're handing over and how sensitive it is."<ref name="TechCrunch senators" /><ref name="Wired senators" /> Virginia Senator [[Mark Warner]] published an [[open letter]] to [[Mark Zuckerberg]], in which he declared that he was "working on legislation to require individualized, informed consent in all instances of behavioral and market research conducted by large platforms on users".<ref name="TechCrunch senators" />
== Facebook Study == After discontinuing Onavo Protect and Facebook Research, Facebook released yet another market research app named ''Facebook Study'' (also known as ''Study'' or ''Study from Facebook'') on June 11, 2019. According to the company, Study is restricted to Facebook users who are at least 18 years old and does not use a VPN or a root certificate to conduct its data collection. Study participants are paid through [[PayPal]].<ref>{{cite web|first1=Salvador|last1=Rodriguez|access-date=2019-07-27|title=Facebook will once again pay users to install an app that tracks their app usage|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/11/facebook-study-new-app-to-track-app-usage-for-research.html|date=June 11, 2019|website=[[CNBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook's new Study app pays adults for data after teen scandal|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/11/study-from-facebook/|website=[[TechCrunch]]|access-date=2019-07-27|date=June 11, 2019}}</ref>
== Litigation == In 2020, a [[class-action lawsuit]] was filed on behalf of Facebook users, alleging that the company "exploited the rich data it deceptively extracted from its users to identify nascent competitors and then 'acquire, copy, or kill' these firms".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monti |first=Ashley |date=2020-12-07 |title=Class-action lawsuit against Facebook alleges anticompetitive behavior |url=https://www.jurist.org/news/2020/12/class-action-lawsuit-against-facebook-alleges-anticompetitive-behavior/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208180432/https://www.jurist.org/news/2020/12/class-action-lawsuit-against-facebook-alleges-anticompetitive-behavior/ |archive-date=2020-12-08 |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=[[Jurist (website)|Jurist]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{Official website|http://www.onavo.com}}
{{Meta Platforms}}
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