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A24 TECHNOLOGY
Friday 1 February 2019
Apple busts Facebook for distributing data-sucking app

By BARBARA ORTUTAY and tect from Apple's app store
FRANK BAJAK because of its stricter re-
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple quirements. But Strafach,
says Facebook can no lon- who dismantled the Face-
ger distribute an app that book Research app on
paid users, including teen- TechCrunch's behalf, told
agers, to extensively track the AP that it was mostly
their phone and web use. Onavo repackaged and
In doing so, Apple closed rebranded, as the two
off Facebook's efforts to apps shared about 98 per-
sidestep Apple's app store cent of their code.
and its tighter rules on pri- As of Wednesday, a disclo-
vacy. sure form on Betabound,
The tech blog TechCrunch one of the services that
reported late Tuesday that distributed Facebook Re-
Facebook paid people search, informed prospec-
about $20 a month to in- tive users that by installing
stall and use the Facebook Facebook Research, they
Research app. While Face- are letting Facebook col-
book says this was done lect a range of data. This in-
with permission, the com- cludes information on apps
pany has a history of defin- users have installed, when
ing "permission" loosely and they use them and what
obscuring what data it col- This Feb. 19, 2014, file photo shows the Facebook app icon on an iPhone in New York. they do on them. Informa-
lects. Associated Press tion is also collected on
"I don't think they make it how other people interact
very clear to users precisely And it comes less than a Apple has revoked that ca- contrast to the Facebook with users and their content
what level of access they week after court docu- pability. Research app, Google said within those apps, accord-
were granting when they ments revealed that Face- TechCrunch reported sep- its Screenwise Meter app ing to the disclosure.
gave permission," mobile book allowed children to arately Wednesday that never asked users to let the Betabound warned that
app security researcher Will rack up huge bills on digital Google was using the same company circumvent net- Facebook may collect in-
Strafach said Wednesday. games and that it had re- privileged access to Ap- work encryption, meaning formation even when an
"There is simply no way the jected recommendations ple's mobile operating sys- it is far less intrusive. app or web browser uses
users understood this." for addressing it for fear of tem for a market-research Facebook is still permitted encryption.
He said Facebook's claim hurting revenue growth. app, Screenwise Meter. to distribute apps through Strafach said emails, social
that users understood the For now, the app appears Asked about it by The As- Apple's app store, though media activities, private
scope of data collection to be available for An- sociated Press, Google said such apps are reviewed by messages and just about
was "muddying the waters." droid phones, though not it had disabled the app on Apple ahead of time. And anything else could be
Facebook says fewer than through Google's main Apple devices and apolo- Apple's move Wednesday intercepted. He said the
5 percent of the app's us- app store. Google had no gized for its "mistake." restricts Facebook's abil- only data absolutely safe
ers were teens and they comment Wednesday. The company said Google ity to test those apps — in- from snooping are from ser-
had parental permission. Apple said Facebook was had always been "upfront cluding core apps such as vices, such as Signal and
Nonetheless, the revelation distributing Facebook Re- with users" about how it Facebook and Instagram Apple's iMessages, that
is yet another blemish on search through an inter- used data collected by — before they are released fully encrypt messages pri-
Facebook's track record nal-distribution mecha- the app, which offered us- through the app store. or to transmission, a meth-
on privacy and could invite nism meant for company ers points that could be Facebook previously pulled od known as end-to-end
further regulatory scrutiny. employees, not outsiders. accrued for gift cards. In an app called Onavo Pro- encryption.q
China appeals to U.S. to accept its technology progress

telligence officials said Bei- world's top power in terms jing's market-opening com-
jing steals or copies foreign of technology, we ac- mitments.
technology, as the two knowledge that," Geng President Donald Trump
sides prepared for another said. "But we hope that the wants to see a rapid de-
day of talks aimed at end- US can see the scientific cline in the chronic U.S.
ing a tariff war over Beijing's and technological prog- trade deficit that could be
technology ambitions. ress of other countries with difficult to achieve without
It is "totally unreasonable an open and inclusive atti- fundamental changes to
to make random accusa- tude. It must allow others to China's approach to de-
tions," said a foreign ministry make progress while devel- veloping its economy and
spokesman, Geng Shuang. oping itself." lifting living standards for its
On Wednesday, U.S. in- On Monday, China's big- 1.4 billion people.
telligence officials told gest technology compa- The negotiators meeting in
In this Aug. 23, 2017, file photo, a visitor looks at a robotic hand Congress that China is the ny, Huawei, was indicted Washington face a March
powered by Kinfinity Glove, developed by the German Aero- biggest commercial and on U.S. charges including 2 deadline: the Trump ad-
space Center, on display at the World Robot Conference at the
Yichuang International Conference and Exhibition Centre in military threat to the United technology theft. ministration is scheduled to
Beijing. States. A separate report The U.S. has objected to escalate its tariffs on $200
Associated Press this week said Beijing will Chinese plans for state-led billion worth of Chinese
steal or copy technologies development of advanced imports from 10 percent to
BEIJING (AP) — China day to accept its industrial it cannot make itself. technologies that Ameri- 25 percent if a deal is not
urged Washington on Thurs- development after U.S. in- "The United States is the can officials say violate Bei- struck before then.q