Re: But but - Apple protects our privacy!
Google used the same enterprise developer license bypass.
While I agree "something needs to be done" fining them is a non-starter. Facebook and Google violated a private contract they had with Apple, that's not a criminal matter and governments should not get involved. Well they can get involved for investigating them on why they seem to do anything they can, and even what they specifically agreed they won't, in order to violate people's privacy even further, but they shouldn't get involved in those guys breaking a contract with Apple. If the contract gives Apple grounds on which to sue them for damages they should do so, if there's no such remedy all Apple can do is cut them off - which both have had done to them.
Apparently there's a lot of chaos at Facebook over this, and Google is no doubt experiencing much the same (though I have to imagine the percentage of iOS users at Google is much lower, for obvious reasons) Some have even suggested Apple should cut their apps off from the App Store, but punishing consumers for misconduct they had nothing to do would be exactly the wrong thing to do, so I'm glad they haven't done it.
Apple is presumably seeing if they can come up with ways to lock down this offering to prevent such abuses in the future, and if nothing else make sure there are clear and LARGE financial penalties if Facebook & Google are ever caught distributing enterprise developer apps to non-employees. Like billions in penalties, so that they will be forced to institute whatever internal controls are necessary to make sure no "clever" middle manager can do this again as a shortcut to steal iPhone users personal information.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
