Yandex puts mobile app blocked by Facebook on hold

Facebook, which launched its own search tool earlier this month, blocked the Wonder app three hours after its launch on January 24 for U.S. users.

The application allows users to look for recommendations on, for example, music or restaurants based on information from their friends on social network sites.

Facebook believes Wonder violates its policies, which state that no data obtained from Facebook can be used in any search engine without the company's written permission, Yandex said on Wednesday, adding access to Facebook would not be restored.

"Since this access was revoked, we decided to put our application on hold for the time being," the Russian firm said, adding it would consider partnership with other social networks and services.

Existing Wonder users are still able to search in Instagram, Foursquare and Twitter, a Yandex spokeswoman said, but marketing and further development of the application is on hold.

© Thomson Reuters 2013