Google+ is officially dead... but you may still be able to download your content
As promised, Google has now closed down Google+, the social networking experiment that just never really took off. If you try to access the site -- or use the mobile app -- you'll be advised that "Google+ is no longer available for consumer (personal) and brand accounts".
Google gave fair warning of the impending closure, telling users to take advantage of the option to download their data before it was deleted forever -- although the Internet Archive said it would try to backup as much as possible. Now the closure has actually happened, it seems that there is still time to download your Google+ content... but you'll have to be quick.
The Internet Archive is trying to save Google+ content before it is deleted
It is now just a couple of weeks until Google+ closes down forever. While few will mourn its passing, there is still a lot of content on Google's social site that is worth preserving. Maybe.
Google+ users have the option of downloading their own data for posterity, but the Archive Team, in conjunction with the Internet Archive, has grander plans: it is looking to archive as much of the site as possible before it is deleted forever.
The Notifications Widget for Google Photos, Hangouts Chat and Google+ dies in March
Google+ is nearing the end of the line, and ahead of this Google has announced that its Notifications Widget is also to be killed off.
The widget -- which appears in the upper right-hand corner of various Google products including Gmail -- lets users know when there are notifications for various services such as Google Photos, Hangouts Chat and Google+. But when March rolls around, you'll have to rely on alerts for individual services instead.
Google reveals the shutdown date for Google+ and when your data will be deleted
We've known for several weeks now that Google+ is to close down, and Google has even brought forward the shutdown date. Now the company has revealed details of the timeline for the closure.
As of next week -- February 4 specifically -- it will no longer be possible to create a Google+ account, and commenting options will be removed in March. When April rolls around, Google+ will not only close down, but data associated with consumer accounts will start to be deleted.
Google+ to close down earlier than planned after another data leak is discovered
We already knew that Google+ is closing down, but following the discovery of a second data leak, Google has announced that it is bringing the closure forward.
The company has revealed that a bug in the Google+ API exposed the data of 52.5 million users, and as a result it is expediting the shutdown. Previously due to close in August 2019, Google+ will now be killed off in April 2019.
How to delete your Google account
Google has given people plenty of reasons to hate it over the years, primarily because of concerns over privacy. But with the revelation that the company knew about a bug in Google+ API that exposed the private details of tens of thousands of users, many people are ready to walk away.
Completely purging Google from your life may seem tricky if you have invested time in any of its services, but if you're thinking that now is the time to part ways, here's what you need to do.
After failing to disclose user data leaks, Google is shutting down Google+ and improving APIs
The private data of nearly half a million Google+ users was exposed to third-party developers, and Google failed to notify anyone. A bug in Google+ APIs meant that users' names, email addresses, occupations, gender and age were accessible from 2015 until Google discovered and patched the problem in March this year.
Despite the data possibly having been accessed by 438 apps, Google chose not to go public about the security breach until now. And in a dramatic move, the company has announced that it is shutting down Google+ for consumers. Google has also revealed details of Project Strobe, an audit program through which it discovered the problem.
Google has not given up on Google+ -- requested changes are incoming, and the 'classic' site will go!
Despite the competition from other social networks, and widespread ridicule, Google is determined not to pull the plug on Google+. Instead, the company today announces that a trio of changes are coming to the service based on user feedback.
Google is keen for users to experience its services on any device they may have, so it's little surprise that one of the changes sees the addition of a zoom function so Google+ users on smartphones can get a closer look at photos. There are also key changes to the commenting system and the welcome arrival of a much-requested feature.
Google kills Hangouts API
Google is retiring the Hangouts API, meaning that apps relying on it will stop working. The announcement was made very quietly via email and an updated FAQ, and the change takes effect before the end of April.
The official cut-off date is 25 April, and after this date apps that use the API will cease to function -- most of them, at least. With immediate effect, it is no longer possible to create new apps that use the API. While Google does not say as much, the move is likely part of its push of Duo as a replacement for Google+ Hangouts.
Algorithm-powered sorting comes to Google+ Communities
Just about all of the key players in social media have turned to algorithms to control the order in which posts appear in users' timelines. Google has already introduced algorithmic sorting for Google+, and now it is rolling out to Communities.
Just as with Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, the decision to move towards algorithms rather than a simple chronological timeline is one that will be divisive. But Google has made it easy to toggle the setting, helping to keep everyone happy.
Google Play drops the Google+ account requirement for app reviews
Google seems to be realizing, at long last, that very, very few people care about Google+. While there have been endless -- as yet unfounded -- rumors that Google's social tool could be killed off, for now the company appears content simply to decouple it from other services.
The latest change means that Android users looking to post reviews on Google Play no longer have to have a Google+ account to do so. Cue general whooping.
Happy fifth birthday, Google+: It's like you were never here
I tend to look back fondly at the technology that has left a mark on me throughout the years. Memorable trips down memory lane involve things that have been a part of my digital lifestyle for many, many years. Google+ is one of them. As a longtime member, I should be reminiscing now as today the social network turns five. But, for some reason, the only thing that I can think about is knowing from the get go that it would never be the next big thing. It looks like I was onto something.
Google+ is one of the largest social networks, but if you are an active user like me you are probably wondering what all those other members are up to because few of them seem to share new things these days. As time goes by, it feels like Google+ is shrinking to a small crowd of enthusiasts. Few people seem to care about it lately, and I am slowly joining the ranks of those who can't be bothered anymore.
Google+ gets a refresh -- you should actually use it now
Google+ is a big joke, right? No one uses it, right? Wrong and wrong. The search-giant's social network is actually quite good and has many active users. I would argue that it is the best such network, superior to both Facebook and Twitter, but I digress. True, it does not have as many active users as the aforementioned competitors, but its focused purpose arguably makes it a better resource. It is brilliant for meeting like-minded individuals by using the "Communities" feature.
With all of that said, the Google+ interface was a bit clunky and confusing. Heck, it was very heavy too, causing web browsers -- in my experience -- to use a lot of resources. Today, Google announces that it is refreshing the service -- a new coat of paint and improved interface. Will this lead to increased usage?
Facebook dominates social website logins [Infographic]
Customer identity management firm Gigya has released its Q2 "landscape of customer identity" figures, showing how consumers are using third party identity providers such as Facebook and Google+ to log into other websites.
Facebook continued its dominance, now controlling two-thirds of all social logins, followed by Google+ (20 percent), Twitter (six percent) and Yahoo (four percent).
Google+ is slowly being killed
After three years of hard pushing, Google has accepted the failure of Google+ and is starting to dismantle the overbearing social network.
Google’s service no longer directly links to users' Google+ profile, instead the forename and surname takes over as a placeholder, although it is unclickable. Google has not said what it plans to add in Google+' place.
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