Google: Oops, we may have sent your private Google Photos videos to strangers

Not sure how to tell you this, but...
 By 
Stan Schroeder
 on 
Google: Oops, we may have sent your private Google Photos videos to strangers

Well, this is awkward.

Google has recently notified Google Photos users that due to a "technical issue," in Google Photos, some users' private videos were "incorrectly exported to unrelated users' archives," 9to5Google reported Monday.

The technical glitch happened on Nov. 21, 2019, and was fixed four days later, on Nov. 25, and it apparently only affected users who used Google Takeout to request a "Download your data" export, which included content stored in Google Photos.

On the flipside, users who downloaded their data now possibly have someone else's videos in their archive (which, by the way, may be incomplete).

The number of users who used Google Takeout to download their data in that five-day period is relatively small; Google told 9to5Google that only 0.01 percent of Photos users attempting Takeouts were affected. Still, with Google Photos being near omnipresent on Android phones — Google said it had over a billion users last July — even that number isn't negligible.

Google says the issue is fixed and that it "conducted an in-depth analysis to help prevent this from ever happening again." Affected users were notified of the glitch, together with an apology from Google, and a suggestion to "perform another export of your content and delete your prior export at this time."

Topics Google

Stan Schroeder
Stan Schroeder
Senior Editor

Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Pranksters and pickup artists are using Meta Ray-Ban glasses to harass strangers for content
Man with meta ray ban glasses with creepy grin

Google Veo 3.1 will generate social-ready vertical videos in Gemini
google gemini and veo 3.1 logos

Updating your security mindset: Keep your data private and your devices secure
By PCMag
Cyber Security

Trump admin has viral DOGE videos taken down. They're already back up.
Elon Musk wearing a DOGE cap

Google debuts 'Me Meme' feature in Google Photos app
A sign of US technology company Google displayed during the World Economic Forum (WEF)

More in Tech
The Earth is glowing in new Artemis II pictures of home
One half of the Earth is seen floating in space through the open door of the Orion spacecraft.

Doomsday Clock now closest to midnight ever
A photograph of the Doomsday Clock, stating "It is 85 seconds to midnight."

Hurricane Erin: See spaghetti models and track the storm’s path online
A map showing the predicted path of Tropical Storm Erin.

Tropical Storm Erin: Spaghetti models track the storm’s path
A prediction cone for Tropical Storm Erin.

NASA to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030, report states
The lunar surface.

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!