Just when you thought the continuous rise of social media apps was coming to an end, Vero, an application which has been referred to as an Instagram clone, proves you wrong.
This week, Vero - which first launched in 2015 - stole the No.1 spot in the social media category of Apple's app store, garnering over 1 million downloads.
However, it hasn't all been positive news.
Following its popularity among users, many people began calling for its deletion, citing information related to its founder and CEO, Ayman Hariri.
Last year, Hariri, the son of assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, told CNBC that he founded Vero because he was "frustrated" with ad placements on other social platforms.
Little did he know he would receive criticism - one year later - for being involved in a now-defunct construction company - Saudi Oger - that stopped paying its employees.
The rise of #DeleteVero
As soon as the app went viral, international websites including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Beast revealed that under Hariri's watch, 31,000 employees filed complaints against Saudi Oger for non-payment of wages.
Following the complaints, the company stopped receiving projects. In January, Saudi Oger put a halt to its operations after 39 years in the business amid financial burdens the company has been facing for years.
The majority of the company's assets have also been transferred.
Hariri's involvement in Saudi Oger spread like wildfire, ultimately leading to the rise of the hashtag #DeleteVero on Twitter.
"Downloaded it, didn't sign up, read about the founder, deleted it before using it"
"The app didn't even last 24 hours on my phone"
"I was excited about trying Vero ... until I learned what their CEO does to his employees"
"The people behind this app are just about as awful as the app itself"
"The more I read about Vero, the more I regret signing up for it"
"In light of finding out about Vero's CEO's history ... I've decided to delete the app"
It wasn't just Hariri's business involvements that sparked outrage online.
It was also the application's poor "terms of service" and the problematic ownership rights that pushed the #DeleteVero campaign to gain traction.
"Vero's Terms of Service include being able to use ALL your content"
Vero responds
In an interview with Mashable, Hariri revealed that he was "confused by his own terms of service" at the beginning. He explained that he is not "well-versed in content regulations" prior to launching Vero.
"What’s asked of users is to provide a license to Vero to display your content without them going around saying, 'All users that see my photos need to pay me because it’s my content.'"
Hariri then told his legal team to update the page following the controversy online.
What is Vero?
Vero, which is Italian for 'true', is a social network founded in 2015 with an aim to "connect people with other people around passions".
"It’s really built to mimic real-world interactions between people," Hariri told Mashable.
"The greatest social network is the one that interacts with people. We’re trying to create one that is the most natural. That is the most sustainable emotionally."
Vero differs from other social media networks in that it is subscription based. Mashable reported that the first million users will get to use Vero free for life. According to the terms of service and manifesto, the pricing has not yet been determined.