Google+ Shutting Down After Massive Data Breach

It’s official, Google has announced that it will be shutting down its struggling social network, Google+, after a security flaw exposed the private data of nearly 500,000 users. The revelation comes after The Wall Street Journal reported that Google discovered the vulnerability months ago but chose not to disclose it, fearing regulatory scrutiny.

The security flaw, found in one of Google+’s API tools, allowed third-party developers to access users’ personal information, including names, email addresses, birth dates, and profile photos—even if those profiles were set to private. Google claims there is no evidence that the exposed data was misused, but the lack of transparency is drawing criticism.

With user engagement on Google+ already at rock bottom, the tech giant has decided to accelerate its plans to sunset the platform. The consumer version of Google+ will be phased out over the next ten months, while an enterprise version may continue in some form.

This breach is yet another blow to Google as lawmakers worldwide crack down on data privacy violations. With Facebook still facing fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, today’s news will only intensify calls for stricter regulations on how tech companies handle personal data.