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Snapchat responds to data leak, allows users to opt out of “Find Friends” feature

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Snapchat founder couch

The widely publicized Snapchat soap opera looks to finally be drawing to a close. After an Australian “security firm” published Snapchat’s API, allowing individuals to link up some user names with their phone numbers, Snapchat is now finally addressing these security concerns.

The security hole was made possible via Snapchat’s “Find Friends” feature which allows users to provide their phone numbers so that friends/family could easily find, and add them, on the service. Snapchat maintains this is still a worthwhile feature, and it’s not going anywhere. What Snapchat is tweaking is the ability for users to verify their accounts with phone numbers, but opt out of the Find Friends feature. This will come in a future update for Android and iOS.

More of an announcement than an actual apology, Snapchat maintains that no other personal information was leaked and your Snaps are safely secured in the cloud (where they’re deleted after being opened). To help address future vulnerabilities, Snapchat is now providing a handy email address: [email protected].

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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7 Comments

  1. Honestly they need to get their sh*t together at Snapchat there’s been a bunch of vulnerabilities now. AND they turned down $3 BILLION from Facebook for something that’s basically useless? Who’s running the show over there?

    1. Lol I agree

    2. Take the money you fools!

    3. its Facebook and Google luck they didn’t bought them . maybe more luck then brains..

  2. Find friends feature is the best and worst feature on all apps, and should never run unless specifically opted into by the user.

    1. they actually did a decent job with it… until the vulnerabilities

  3. I’ve actually read a blog post from Snapchat that says they are already patching it up–the security breach. But in all honesty, I think it would get pretty hard for the folks behind Snapchat to get back up once more.

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