Google exposed takedown requests containing personal information of crime victims, then blamed it on “human error”

Article : https://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0134_202609111934171720 (Korean)

Victims of illegal abuse videos in South Korea often ask Google to remove search results that expose them online.

Those takedown requests can contain extremely sensitive information, including the victims’ names, ages, phone numbers, and details of the abuse.

According to YTN - Korean News, Google had been sharing these requests with an external research organization, and some of the documents — including victims’ personal information — were then made publicly accessible on a website.

The leak did not only involve requests submitted by individuals. Requests sent by Korean government agencies were also reportedly exposed, apparently without the authorities realizing it.

Google told the Korean government that the incident was caused by “human error.”

Even after the issue was discovered, it took three days to block 15 records that could directly identify victims. Around 200 additional records searchable under the names of organizations such as the Korea Women’s Human Rights Promotion Agency took another four days to block.

According to the government, it ultimately took 13 days for all of the exposed takedown-request records to be removed.

South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family says it has received a formal document from Google outlining measures to prevent a recurrence. The government is also reviewing whether Google can be held legally responsible for the incident.

Minister said that Google may still face legal liability regardless of its promise to prevent similar incidents, and that an even more serious penalty could be imposed if it happens again.

The government has also asked Google to determine whether similar disclosures happened in the past and is investigating whether other websites contain the same kind of exposed information.