Instagram Accused of Leaking Phone Numbers, Email Addresses

Silhouettes of mobile users are seen next to a screen projection of Instagram. (Reuters)
Silhouettes of mobile users are seen next to a screen projection of Instagram. (Reuters)
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Instagram Accused of Leaking Phone Numbers, Email Addresses

Silhouettes of mobile users are seen next to a screen projection of Instagram. (Reuters)
Silhouettes of mobile users are seen next to a screen projection of Instagram. (Reuters)

Instagram's website leaked user contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses, a researcher said, according to the CNET website.

Data scientists David Stier said that the source code for some Instagram user profiles included the account holder's contact information whenever it loaded in a web browser, adding that he notified Instagram shortly after he discovered the problem earlier this year, the German news agency reported.

The contact information wasn't displayed on the account holder's profiles on the desktop version of the Instagram website, although it was used by the photo sharing site's app for communication.

According to Stier, the exposure appeared to include contact information for thousands of accounts, which belonged to private, businesses and brands. Including the information in the source code could let hackers scrape the data from the Instagram website, allowing them to assemble a virtual phone book.

Instagram spokeswoman Stephanie Otway said: "The contact information discovered in this case is not private contact information, but contact information a member of the Instagram community chose to share when converting their profile to a Business Profile."

Stier said he found evidence that the phone numbers and emails had been in the source code since at least October by looking at archived versions of Instagram profiles.

He reported the problem to Instagram in February and the problem was fixed in March.



Coffee Overtaking Tea Culture in the UK

“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
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Coffee Overtaking Tea Culture in the UK

“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)

Discover the hidden gem of the UK's coffee culture, where vibrant independent cafes outshine the chains, offering a unique blend of flavors and atmospheres.

“Fancy a brew?” “I'll put the kettle on then.” Hearing those words are no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK, The Daily Express newspaper reported on Monday.

It said grabbing a coffee either on the go or at a café is as part of British culture these days as it is in Italy.

But while every person has its favorite chain, be it Pret, Starbucks, Costa or Cafe Nero, nothing beats finding a decent independent coffee shop one can call home especially when it can seem high streets are dominated by the same chains.

So with the demand for coffee only growing, where is the best spot in the UK to find an independent coffee shop?

A study by Reviva Coffee reveals the UK city that is the hidden gem when it comes to thriving coffee culture.

And it probably isn't where you'd expect. In fact this county is synonymous with tea. Yorkshire Tea, to be precise.

However the study discovered the best UK city to find independent coffee shops is in the Yorkshire city of Leeds. It has a staggering 584 coffee shops, of which 86.3% are independent, and just under 14% are chains.

Placing second is Edinburgh. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just needing a cosy pit stop, Edinburgh has you covered with its outstanding coffee scene with 560 shops, 85% of which are independents.

In third for best UK cities for independent coffee shops is Bristol which has 347 coffee shops, 86.3% of which are independent.