Alphabet to shut Google+ social site after user data exposedThe Saigon Times Daily The Google app logo is seen on a smartphone in this picture illustration taken September 15, 2017 - PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Alphabet Inc’s Google will shut down the consumer version of its failed social network Google+ and tighten its data sharing policies after announcing on Monday that private profile data of at least 500,000 users may have been exposed to hundreds of external developers. The issue was discovered and patched in March as part of a review of how Google shares data with other applications, Google said in a blog post. No developer exploited the vulnerability or misused data, the review found. Shares of its parent company Alphabet closed down 1% at US$1155.92 following the latest in a run of privacy issues to hit big U.S. tech companies. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Google opted not to disclose the security issue due to fears of regulatory … [Read more...] about Alphabet to shut Google+ social site after user data exposed