Google to shut down Google+ for consumers after data breach - Sensationalist Headlines

Many third-party apps, services and websites build on top of our various services to improve everyone’s phones, working life, and online experience. We strongly support this active ecosystem. But increasingly, its success depends on users knowing that their data is secure, and on developers having clear rules of the road. Over the years we’ve continually strengthened our controls and policies in response to regular internal reviews, user feedback and evolving expectations about data privacy and security. At the beginning of this year, we started an effort called Project Strobe—a root-and-branch review of third-party developer access to Google account and Android device data and of our philosophy around apps’ data access. This project looked at the operation of our privacy controls, platforms where users were not engaging with our APIs because of concerns around data privacy, areas where developers may have been granted overly broad access, and other areas in which our policies should be tightened. We’re announcing the first four findings and actions from this review today. Finding 1: There are significant challenges in creating and maintaining a successful Google+ product that meets consumers’ expectations. Action 1: We are shutting down Google+ for consumers. Over the years we’ve received feedback that people want to better understand how to control the data they choose to share with apps on Google+. So as part of Project Strobe, one of our first priorities was to closely review all the APIs associated with Google+. This review crystallized what we’ve known for a while: that while our engineering teams have put a lot of effort and dedication into building Google+ over the years, it has not achieved broad consumer or developer adoption, and has seen limited user interaction with apps. The consumer version of Google+ currently has low usage and engagement: 90 percent of Google+ user sessions are less than five seconds. Our review showed that our Google+ APIs, and the associated controls for consumers, are challenging to develop and maintain. Underlining this, as part of our Project Strobe audit, we discovered a bug in one of the Google+ People APIs https://www.blog.google/technology/safety-security/project-strobe/ Following a massive data breach first reported on by The Wall Street Journal, Google announced today that it is shutting down its social network Google+ for consumers. The company finally admitted that Google+ never received the broad adoption or engagement with users that it had hoped for -- according to a blog post, 90 percent of Google+ user sessions last for less than five seconds. In light of these newly revealed security concerns with Google+'s API, the company has opted to put it out of its misery rather than try and make the social network more secure. https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/08/google-shutting-down-google-plus/

If only a data breech was enough to shut down Facebook.

Unfortunately, probably the most sane and reasonable conclusion. If nobody uses it, why bother fixing it? Its already a proven liability at this point.

If only Facebook had done the same thing.

Can't wait for their next garbage attempt at something resembling a social network

I remember when people thought this would compete with Facebook. lol

Yeah, this was a losing battle from the beginning. Barely anyone ever cared about Google+ or were about to actually use it, not when they already had Facebook (in the case of laypeople) or avoided social networks entirely (some more tech-savvy folk). People only hated how Google tried to cram it into all their other services such as YouTube, which ended up screwing with how those services did things; that was the only visibility Google+ ever really got, when people got angry about it screwing things up. This market has been won. No one's going to dethrone Facebook. Google themselves should know this, considering they've been laughing at Microsoft's numerous efforts to penetrate spaces they themselves have dominated (Bing, Edge, Windows Phone, etc.) for years.

They've certainly got big trousers to fill.

Well, they tried.

Does that mean hangout shuts down too? it requires a g+ account to use it afaik

anyone else remember like 2011 google+ where literally everyone's page had that thing with the fish on it

They wanted to get the Facebook audience, but they only really managed to get the Linkedin audience. Makes sense they're killing it.

Didn't they link Youtube Accounts with Google +? The hell is that gonna work?

A bit of a counter point actually, bing actually has a very large search engine preference since its the default on many devices and services,and lots of people dont change defaults. I think thats what Google tried here. Make Google+ default to many things so people use it. They just screwed up the execution this time, like with YouTube. I wouldn't be surprised if they try again later

you mean iGoogle? I used this sucker back in the day: https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/441/6c9059ca-fd35-4de5-96f0-8f5e3d0c764c/image.png

I'm not sure all those 19 people who's still using it will be able to live through it.

iGoogle was actually pretty dang useful, contrary to what you'd expect from the name; I used it as a landing machine for the Steam overlay browser because it let me have a "quick in-game links" widget. Was pretty peeved when they killed it.

I remember the excitement when I got an invite to the closed beta for Google wave

Bring back iGoogle my fish haven't been fed in like 7 years.

does this mean they're shuttering the video calling component as well because that actually worked really well.

Video calling is a part of hangouts so it should not be affected.

I thought hangouts was part of G+. fucking confusing

I think G+ is just an API for other Google services like Youtube (I still remember being forced to make a stupid G+ account just so I can comment on things). They'll probably just migrate over to the account token system other apps and sites use (like PoGo).

I used it to get around filters and read Twitter at school. Really useful.

I feel bad for the 3 customers they have that got their data stolen.

http://abowman.com/google-modules/fish/#gadgetSWF

I setup a pretty dope Facepunch Nintendo Google+ page that we used for awhile and it was a lot of fun!

Remember when Google broke YouTube with Google+ before making it worse by removing it, which is what we have now? I never forgot.

I used to use this to play games in the school library when they started filtering everything

This may sound like a stupid question, but this isn't gonna affect my youtube channel, is it?