No private e-mails, phone numbers accessed improperly: Instagram on Chtrbox case

Instagram Friday said initial investigations have showed that no private e-mails or phone numbers of its users have been accessed improperly, amid reports that an Indian entity stored its user data improperly. Earlier this week, reports emerged that database -- with over 49 million records and containing information of millions of Instagram influencers, celebrities and brand accounts -- was found online. The database was allegedly traced back to Mumbai-based Chtrbox. Instagram had said it was investigating whether the third party had improperly stored its user data, in violation of its policies.

In a statement on Friday, an Instagram spokesperson said: "We take any allegation of data misuse seriously. Following an initial investigation into the claims made in this story, we found that no private e-mails or phone numbers of Instagram users were accessed". 

The spokesperson added that Chtrbox's database had publicly available information from many sources, one of which was Instagram. Following the reports, Chtrbox - which works with brands and their agencies that leverage its influencer network across the marketing cycle - had said database for a limited number of influencers was inadvertently exposed but that did not include any sensitive personal data.

It had termed the reports of private data being leaked "inaccurate" but acknowledged that "a particular database for limited influencers was inadvertently exposed for approximately 72 hours". "This database did not include any sensitive personal data and only contained information available from the public domain, or self reported by influencers," it had said in its statement.