Voyeurs Sneak Past MySpace Privacy Blocks

Months-old bug permits viewing of teen photo albums set to 'private'

By Lucas Laursen, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 18, 2008 11:06 AM CST

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Voyeurs Sneak Past MySpace Privacy Blocks — Hemanshu Nigam, Chief Security Officer for MySpace, attends a news conference in New York on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. MySpace, the huge online social networking Web site, has agreed with more than 45 states to add extensive measures to combat sexual predators. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (Associated Press)

Voyeurs have been exploiting a MySpace bug for months to see supposedly private teen photos, reports Wired. The bug first cropped up in the fall and has gained traction on ad-based websites that make it easier to take advantage of it. The revelation comes just days after MySpace struck a deal with the attorney generals of 49 states to beef up its online security.

"Kids are doing what they think they need to do, and are still having their photos picked up by slimebags on the Internet," said one children's safety advocate. When MySpace users set their profiles to private, only authorized visitors are supposed to have access. The flaw could leave MySpace vulnerable to charges of consumer fraud. (More pedophile stories.)

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