Google+ is shutting down after more than seven years of existence. While the dwindling user base (as if there was ever a strong one) was mentioned as a catalyst, its maker blames a security vulnerability on the decision.
It turns out that Google+ might’ve exposed personal data from around 500,000 users. Who obtained it? Google says third-party developers were able to tap into the personal data, but they’re not sharing which developers and users are involved. As many as 438 applications were accessing the API that compromised the users affected.
The security vulnerability touched on name, gender, age, occupation, and email address. Basically, the overview on a Google+ profile was handed off in an unknown manner.
Rather than issuing a fix and keeping the lights on, Google’s ready to call it quits on a Facebook/Twitter alternative. Google+ is dead, folks.
As for the user base, we always knew it was microscopic. The blog post also confirmed that 90% of sessions last for less than five seconds. Needless to say, Google+ has been a graveyard for quite a long time. It was only a matter of time before Google pulled the plug.
