Twitter Bug Exposed Protected Tweets for Some Android Users for 4 Years

Advertisement
By Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: 18 January 2019 10:25 IST
Highlights
  • The bug disabled the "Protect your Tweets" setting
  • It didn't affect people using Twitter on iOS or desktop
  • Twitter said it has informed those who were affected by the bug

A bug in Twitter exposed private tweets of some Android users for over four years when they made changes in their settings, like changing the email address linked to their accounts.

According to the micro-blogging platform, the bug (now fixed) disabled the "Protect your Tweets" setting if certain account changes were made on Android devices.

Advertisement

The bug didn't affect people using Twitter on iOS or desktop, Twitter said on Thursday.

"You may have been impacted by this issue if you had protected Tweets turned on in your settings, used Twitter for Android, and made certain changes to account settings such as changing the email address associated with your account between November 3, 2014, and January 14, 2019.

Advertisement

"People on iOS or the web were not impacted. We fixed the issue on January 14, and we'll provide updates if other important information becomes available," Twitter said on its Help page.

The company said it has informed those who were affected by the bug, and has turned "Protect your Tweets" back on for them if it was disabled.

Advertisement

"We encourage you to review your privacy settings to ensure that your aProtect your Tweets' setting reflects your preferences," said Twitter, adding it is sorry that this happened.

In May last year, Twitter asked its 336 million users to change their passwords after it discovered a bug that stored passwords in plain text in an internal system.

Advertisement

Twitter said it found no sign that hackers accessed the exposed data but advised users that they should enter a new password on all services where their current password has been used.

Another bug in Twitter's platform for third-party app developers exposed some Direct Messages (DMs) from nearly 3 million users to outsiders, the micro-blogging platform admitted in September.

The bug ran from May 2017 and after discovering it, Twitter said it fixed the bug to prevent data from being unintentionally sent to the incorrect developer.

Twitter is also facing an investigation by privacy regulators in Ireland over data collection in its link-shortening system.

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Twitter
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Sony Is Reportedly Asking PS4 Users to Upgrade to PS5 Ahead of GTA 6 Launch
  2. Amazon Great Summer Sale 2026: Best Deals on 2-in-1 Laptops
  3. Samsung Starts Selling Refurbished Galaxy S25 Series and A-Series Phones
  4. WhatsApp Plus Said to be Available to Some iOS Users With These Benefits
  5. Samsung's One UI 8.5 Stable Update Rolls Out Globally to These Devices
  6. HP Launches EliteBook X G2, EliteBook 8 G2 and ProBook 4 G2 AI PCs in India
  7. Apple Not Giving Up on Liquid Glass, With macOS 27 Potentially Refining It
  8. MediaTek Dimensity 8600 Said to Be a 3nm Chip Powering These Phones
  1. GTA 6 Third Trailer Rumours Gather Steam After Sony Asks PS4 Users to Upgrade to PS5 Ahead of Launch
  2. Samsung Launches Certified Re-Newed Programme in India; Offers Refurbished Galaxy S25, Galaxy A56 Models
  3. Samsung Patent Application Suggests Galaxy Z TriFold 2 Could Launch With an S-Pen Housed Inside Its Hinge
  4. WhatsApp Plus Rolls Out to iOS Users With Premium Stickers, Themes and More
  5. MediaTek Dimensity 8600 Leak Suggests It Will Be a 3nm Chip, Could Arrive on Phones With 10,000mAh Batteries
  6. Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Gets One UI 8.5 Update Globally, Including India
  7. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Announced for PC and Consoles, Will Launch This Summer
  8. Anthropic Reveals Text Portraying AI as Evil Triggered Claude’s Attempt at Blackmail
  9. HMD Vibe 2 5G India Launch Date Revealed Along With Design, Colourways and Key Specifications
  10. HP OmniBook Ultra 14 (2026), OmniBook X (2026) and OmniBook 5 (2026) Launched in India With Intel, Snapdragon Chips
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.