• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, January 30, 2019

Confronted with an apparent violation of Apple policies, Google said Wednesday it had disabled the iPhone and iPad versions of Screenwise Meter -- an app that scooped up users' data in exchange for gift cards.

Until Wednesday, the iOS version of the app was distributed through Apple's enterprise program -- although that program is only supposed to be used by companies that want to distribute apps internally.

A Google spokesperson said Wednesday the company made a mistake in using Apple's enterprise program.

The spokesperson added that the company has “been up front with users about the way we use their data in this app,” does not access encrypted data, and allows users to opt out at any time.

Google's use of Apple's enterprise program was first reported Wednesday by TechCrunch.

The news comes the same day that Apple threw Facebook out of its enterprise program for using it to distribute a virtual private network that collects data from users.

When Google launched Screenwise in 2012, the company said it would give users a $5 gift card for installing the program, and another $5 for every three months they remained in it.