UPDATE: Chtrbox was unable to access private phone numbers or email addresses from Instagram.
“We take any allegation of data misuse seriously. Following an initial investigation into the claims made in this story, we found that no private emails or phone numbers of Instagram users were accessed. Chtrbox’s database had publicly available information from many sources, one of which was Instagram.”- Instagram Spokesperson
Personal details of 50 million Instagram users have been released on an unprotected database online.
Facebook, the parent company of Instagram, is looking into how such a major privacy F up came about. It was first originally discovered by a security researcher who tipped off US site TechCrunch.
So what was shared? The personal details of a bunch of Instagram influencer, celebrities, and high-profile brands.
The database was traced back to Mumbai-based social media marketing firm Chtrbox.
Instagram has told the BBC they are investigating.
“We’re looking into the issue to understand if the data described – including email and phone numbers – was from Instagram or from other sources,” they said in a statement.
“We’re also inquiring with Chtrbox to understand where this data came from and how it became publicly available.”
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