Contact Info for Millions of Instagram Influencers, Celebrities, and Brand Accounts Leaked Online

[MacRumors]

A database that contained contact information for millions of Instagram influencers, celebrities, and brand accounts was recently leaked online, reports TechCrunch.

The database, which was hosted by Amazon Web Services and contains more than 49 million records, was accessible without a password or other credentials according to the security researcher who informed TechCrunch about the leak.

Records include public data pulled from Instagram, such as profile picture, biography, and follower numbers, but also private contact information like phone numbers and email addresses.

Records also calculated the "worth" of each account based on follower count, engagement, reach, likes, and shares.

The database was initially uploaded and shared by Mumbai-based social media marketing firm Chtrbox, a company that pays Instagram influencers to share sponsored content. Though uploaded by Chtrbox, the database includes info from influencers who have never worked with the company.

TechCrunch found several high-profile influencers in the exposed database, including prominent food bloggers, celebrities and other social media influencers.

We contacted several people at random whose information was found in the database and provided them their phone numbers. Two of the people responded and confirmed their email address and phone number found in the database was used to set up their Instagram accounts. Neither had any involvement with Chtrbox, they said.

After hearing from TechCrunch, Chtrbox took the database offline, but the company's CEO did not respond to a request for comment on how the data was obtained.

Instagram parent company Facebook said that it was looking into the issue and aiming to determine whether the data was from Instagram or other sources. "We're also inquiring with Chtrbox to understand where this data came from and how it became publicly available," said Facebook.

Article Link: Contact Info for Millions of Instagram Influencers, Celebrities, and Brand Accounts Leaked Online

 

[Baymowe335]

Another data integrity blunder by Facebook.

 

[Stiss]

Facebook simply can not be trusted with your private information.

 

[Radon87000]

Is anyone surprised at this point?

 

[I7guy]

The bad news from Facebook keeps rolling in. Facebook is really the one with an illusion of privacy.

 

[Blackstick]

Facebook's criminal, flagrant disregard for their user privacy strikes again.

 

[Exile714]

Um, there can't possibly be 49 million "influencers and celebrities" on Instagram. This included normal people, too, didn't it?

 

[MrGimper]

Am I the only one who thinks the term “Instagram Influencer” is more of a crime?

 

[code-m]

The bad news from Facebook keeps rolling in. Facebook is really the one with an illusion of privacy.

You have no privacy if interacting with companies such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc.

Apple is better at protecting ones privacy, for how long is yet to be seen.

Glad my use of social media is limited, my life is bliss. I don’t need to know what you ate at every meal, dress, etc. If I am interested I will call, text or hang out. People are addicted to this nonsense.

 

[sputnikv]

If everyone just made all of their information public, Facebook and perhaps even Google would collapse

 

[code-m]

Am I the only one who thinks the term “Instagram Influencer” is more of a crime?

Influencers is just another word for advertisers who are trying to make it sound hip and cool. Like sanitary engineer or maintainer (aka Janitor).

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Um, there can't possibly be 49 million "influencers and celebrities" on Instagram. This included normal people, too, didn't it?

Everyone is a celebrity influencer now, even if you never heard of them and never will. At least in their own mind.

 

[NickName99]

Facebook privacy is even more of a mess than MacBook keyboards these days

 

[Big Ron]

How much longer as the powers to be gonna tolerate this?

 

[code-m]

If everyone just made all of their information public, Facebook and perhaps even Google would collapse

That is the wet dream of these companies if people willingly provide it without any services rendered.

 

[maverick28]

I think you should move to three-factor authentication, two not enough clearly.

 

[Appurushido]

It's going to come to a point where everyone will become desensitized to all of this info leaking and it will keep happening. Look at Target, Walmart and other big chain retailers. Nothing happened. Look at what happened with Facebook, nothing. With all the other companies that had info leaked and didn't notify their customers for months or even years.

At this point it only benefits new/social media outlets profiting off news like this if they don't help in the cause to call these companies out by putting out more meaningful articles than just posting the obvious for more traffic.

 

[AMTYVLE]

Facebook needs to be shut down, along with any other companies Facebook has their hand in....Instagram...WhatsApp...and whatever else. This needs to stop already....

 

[sshambles]

I expect nothing less of a Zuckerberg owned company.

 

[WardC]

The everpresent "World of the camera shy..." (We got an app for that!)

 

[sputnikv]

That is the wet dream of these companies if people willingly provide it without any services rendered.

If everyone's information is public, they can't then sell it now.

 

[Mcmeowmers]

If everyone just made all of their information public, Facebook and perhaps even Google would collapse

They're doing it for us.

 

[mi7chy]

Only Google takes security seriously and has a good track record. Facebook, Instagram, Apple, etc. approach security as an afterthought with poorer track records. Furthermore, Instagram seems redundant and limited (short video clips) when you can use YouTube.

 

[JetTester]

Can't say it often enough: Facebook is evil, Zuckerberg is evil.

 

[nouveau_redneck]

Only Google takes security seriously and has a good track record. Facebook, Instagram, Apple, etc. approach security as an afterthought with poorer track records. Furthermore, Instagram seems redundant and limited (short video clips) when you can use YouTube.

Yes, Google does have excellent security. Possibly the best in the business.

Contrast that to Google having horrible privacy practices. Absolutely the worst in the business, no question.

I'll stick with Apple, thanks.