(http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/04/path.jpg) (http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/path-app-spamming-contacts/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget)
The social messaging app Path (http://www.engadget.com/tag/path/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) recently announced (http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/26/path-app-adding-1-million-new-users-a-week/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) that it's gaining a million users each week, but it may be using some spam-like methods to achieve that growth. Several users -- and several Engadget staffers -- have reported that the app has been sending smartphone contacts unwanted text messages, a problem that was first pinpointed several months ago. Contacts on the receiving end have seen messages stating that a friend wants to share photos with them, with a prompt to sign up for Path's service. According to (former) user Stephen Kenwright, Path has also triggered robocalls to contact lists -- even after uninstalling the app. Last year, the company came under fire for collecting contact info (http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/path-apologizes-deletes-user-contact-data-and-updates-app/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) sans users' consent-- leading to an $800,000 settlement (http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/01/path-settles-with-the-ftc-over-contact-privacy-violations/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) with the FTC -- and we imagine this new privacy snafu won't be without consequences, either.
Filed under: Software (http://www.engadget.com/category/software/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget), Mobile (http://www.engadget.com/category/mobile/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget)
Comments (http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/path-app-spamming-contacts/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments)
Via: The Verge (http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286090/path-is-spamming-address-books-with-unwanted-texts-and-robocalls)
Source: Branded3 (http://www.branded3.com/blogs/the-antisocial-network-path-texts-my-entire-phonebook-at-6am/)
Via: Engadget