“Google will shut down the consumer version of its social network Google+ after announcing data from up to 500,000 users may have been exposed to external developers by a bug that was present for more than two years in its systems,” Arjun Panchadar and Munsif Vengattil report for Reuters. “The company said in a blog on Monday it had discovered and patched the leak in March of this year and had no evidence of misuse of user data or that any developer was aware or had exploited the vulnerability.”
“The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Google had opted not to disclose the issue with its Application Program Interfaces (API) partly due to fears of regulatory scrutiny, citing unnamed sources and internal documents,” Panchadar and Vengattil report. “Under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), if personal data is breached, a company needs to inform a supervisory authority within 72 hours, unless the breach is unlikely to result in a risk to the rights and freedom of users. ‘It seems like the downside risk of having a story that says they intentionally hid information about a major breach from users is bigger than the upside of avoiding scrutiny,’ said Geoffrey Parker, an engineering professor at Ivy League college Dartmouth. ‘I wonder if there wasn’t more depth to the internal debate.'”
“Google said a software glitch in the social site gave outside developers potential access to private Google+ profile data between a major redesign in 2015 and March 2018, when internal investigators discovered and fixed the issue,” Panchadar and Vengattil report. “The WSJ report said that a memo, prepared by Google’s legal and policy staff and shared with senior executives, warned that disclosing the incident would likely trigger ‘immediate regulatory interest’ and invite comparisons to Facebook’s leak of user information to data firm Cambridge Analytica.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Google+ had 500,000 users*?
This ‘don’t be evil’ mantra: It’s bullshit. — Steve Jobs, 2010
*suckers
SEE ALSO:
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Researchers find Google harvests more data from Android – and Apple iOS – users than most people think – August 21, 2018
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How Google is secretly recording Android settlers, monitoring millions of conversations every day and storing the creepy audio files – August 22, 2017
Android apps secretly tracking users by listening to inaudible sound hidden in ads – May 8, 2017
Edward Snowden: No matter what, do not use Google’s new Allo messenger app – September 23, 2016
Apple’s iOS 11 will deliver even more privacy to users – June 8, 2017
Google to pay $5.5 million for sneaking around Apple’s privacy settings to collect user data – August 31, 2016
Apple takes a swing at privacy-tampling, personal data-guzzling rivals like Google – September 29, 2015
Apple reinvents the privacy policy – September 29, 2015
Apple: Hey Siri and Live Photos data stays only on your device to ensure privacy – September 12, 2015
Apple issues iPhone manifesto; blasts Android’s lack of updates, lack of privacy, rampant malware – August 10, 2015
Edward Snowden supports Apple’s stance on customer privacy – June 17, 2015
Mossberg: Apple’s latest product is privacy – June 12, 2015
Apple looks to be building an alternative to the Google-branded, hand-over-your-privacy ‘Internet Experience’ – June 11, 2015
Understanding Apple and privacy – June 8, 2015
Edward Snowden: Apple is a privacy pioneer – June 5, 2015
Edward Snowden’s privacy tips: ‘Get rid of Dropbox,” avoid Facebook and Google – October 13, 2014
Apple CEO Tim Cook ups privacy to new level, takes direct swipe at Google – September 18, 2014
Apple slams Google in Safari 7.1 release notes: ‘Adds DuckDuckGo, a search engine that doesn’t track users’ – September 18, 2014
A message from Tim Cook about Apple’s commitment to your privacy – September 18, 2014
Apple will no longer unlock most iPhones, iPads for police, even with search warrants – September 18, 2014
Google to pay $17 million to settle U.S. states’ Safari user tracking probe – November 20, 2013
Judge dismisses case against Google over Safari user tracking – October 11, 2013
UK Apple Safari users sue Google for secretly tracking Web browsing – January 28, 2013
Google pays $22.5 million to settle charges of bypassing Apple Safari privacy settings – August 9, 2012
US FTC votes to fine Google $22.5 million for bypassing Safari privacy settings; Settlement allows Google to admit no liability – July 31, 2012
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Google to pay $22.5 million to settle charges over bypassing privacy settings of millions of Apple users – July 10, 2012
Apple’s anti-user tracking policy has mobile advertisers scrambling – May 9, 2012
Google said to be negotiating amount of U.S. FTC fine over Apple Safari breach – May 4, 2012
Cookies and privacy, Google and Safari – February 25, 2012
Obama’s privacy plan puts pinch on Google – February 24, 2012
Obama administration outlines online privacy guidelines – February 23, 2012
Google sued by Apple Safari-user for bypassing browser privacy – February 21, 2012
Google responds to Microsoft over privacy issues, calls IE’s cookie policy ‘widely non-operational’ – February 21, 2012
Google’s tracking of Safari users could prompt FTC investigation – February 18, 2012
WSJ: Google tracked iPhone, iPad users, bypassing Apple’s Safari browser privacy settings; Microsoft denounces – February 17, 2012
What utter scum! They’re even worse than I already thought.
Evil weasels to the last.
Eff ’em…
But nothing Fappening here….
Oops! Did I say that out loud?
It’s become a typical lack of responsibility.
… as reposted by MDN, loyal Google Adsense user.
When are you going to end the hypocrisy?
Google? Please define “external developers” because I’m reading as “hackers”.
After hearing this, I immediately got off of Google+. I was so prescient, I even got off it before ever signing up.
What is/was Google+?
Google always Jas been lacklustre and incompetent when it comes to everyones personal data.
Google + was never needed anyway.
Good riddance I say.
“Do no evil” eh Google?…
…The whole business is evil and rotten to the core.
I don’t use anything from Google, have never trusted the brand at all and it looks like my common sense and gut in stinks was right all along.
“In stinks” that’s funny most likely auto correct.
I find Google Maps better and more accurate than Apple Maps I tried to love and also the search engine the best out there. Simply don’t understand the Google hate…
Goeb, there is much that you refuse to understand.
You are not THE MDN. Ok, I’ll play along, what do I not understand? Explain your reasons, I explained mine…
I hope nobody gets their identity stole because of these lowlifes. They should simply not be allowed to decided not to disclose it because it would hurt their reputation. Doesn’t the US have a law to make them report data breaches?
I believe the UK has such a law but their governing body, The Information Commissioners Office, I think, is pretty lax. But the EU will, hopefully, tear them a new one for this.
Gee, someone stole the personal information Google normally sells. That’s news!
There are 39 hidden ad trackers on this pathetic little site full of basement dwelling fuck stains.