After Google, Twitter admits to unauthorized use of location data
What's the story
In yet another instance of unauthorized use of user data, Twitter has admitted that specific locations included in some users' tweets were revealed without their consent. With Google facing regulatory inquiry in South Korea over unauthorized use of users' location data, Twitter has blamed the unauthorized use of user locations on a bug. The tech giant said that it had initiated corrective measures.
Twitter Post
Twitter's confession
We’ve discovered an issue for a small percentage of people who recently had location sharing on, Tweeted from https://t.co/fuPJa3nVky, and tapped to add an emoji or GIF. In certain instances, a city-level location was also included in the Tweet.
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) November 24, 2017
Details
Details of the location leak
Reportedly, several Twitter users had pointed out an issue with privacy, directed at accounts associated with Twitter and its founding members. Some users also said that locations added to their tweets were not their actual locations but places they had recently visited or searched for on the micro-blogging website. Twitter said that revealed locations had been deleted, and users had been contacted via email.
Quote
Only those with location setting enabled had been affected
"This happened for less than a week for people who had enabled Tweeting with location in their settings - but may not have intended to tag a city in these specific Tweets. The issue did not occur for people who had location...turned off," added Twitter.