- But there's a workaround: installing the firewall app Lockdown Apps will enable apps impacted by the bug to work, as The Verge reported.
- The app is an open-source firewall that takes minutes to install and activate.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
Several popular iOS apps like Pinterest and Spotify have been crashing on Friday morning because of an issue with Facebook's SDK.
Several popular apps, including Spotify, Pinterest, and Tinder, are crashing on the iPhone because of an issue with Facebook's iOS software developer kit.
Many iOS users began posting about the problems on social media on Friday, and Facebook acknowledged the issue by saying that it's "investigating" an error with its iOS SDK that's causing some apps to crash.
"We're aware that some applications are currently affected by an issue in our Facebook iOS SDK," a Facebook spokesperson also said to Business Insider. "We're working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible."
In the meantime, however, there is a workaround you can use to continue using apps affected by the Facebook bug.
The Verge reported that an app called Lockdown Apps , which describes itself as an open-source firewall that works on-device and doesn't connect to any servers or third-party analytics. It's able to work around the problem, as The Verge notes, because it blocks Facebook's iOS SDK from working in apps like Spotify.
It's also free and just takes minutes to get up and running. With the app installed and turned on, Business Insider was able to successfully launch impacted apps like Facebook and Pinterest. There's a paid version of the app, but you don't need it for this workaround.
Here's a look at how to use it.
Download Lockdown Apps from the App Store.
Lockdown Apps (screenshot)
Launch the app, and activate the firewall after going through the app's tutorial.
Lockdown Apps (screenshot)
Press, "Allow" when Lockdown asks to add a VPN configuration.
Lockdown Apps (screenshot)
Now the firewall should be activated, meaning you can start using apps like Spotify and Pinterest during the outage.
Lockdown Apps (screenshot)
You can also take a look at the trackers that are currently being blocked within the app. As shown below, Facebook's trackers are on the list of blocked trackers.
Lockdown Apps (screenshot)
See Also:
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- Facebook just banned a series of disinformation networks linked to Brazil's president that downplayed the severity of COVID-19