Google 'Bug' Sent Videos to the Wrong Users

If you downloaded content from Google Photos using Google Takeout, you may have been affected
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 4, 2020 8:31 AM CST
Google 'Bug' Sent Videos to the Wrong Users
This Nov. 1, 2018, file photo shows a photo of the Google logo at the company's offices in London.   (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

On Monday evening, some users of Google Takeout, which lets you download data from your Google apps, received what the Verge calls a "nonchalant email" from the company about a "technical issue," and it's one that's raising eyebrows. Per a statement sent by Google to 9to5Google, individuals who used Google Takeout to export content from their Google Photos stash between Nov. 21 and Nov. 25 may have been affected by a "bug" that sent them either an incomplete archive or a complete stranger's videos.

The email sent to users didn't say how many videos were erroneously disseminated, nor exactly how many people were affected, though Google noted in its statement that less than 0.01% of Google Photo users tapping into Takeout fell prey to the problem. The Verge notes that even that seemingly tiny percentage could still mean plenty of people were affected, as Google Photos has more than a billion users. Without further elaboration, the company noted the issue had been "identified and resolved" and "an in-depth analysis" has been conducted to prevent similar problems in the future, adding that no other Google products were involved. "We are very sorry this happened." (More Google stories.)

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