UPDATE: The Milk team removed usernames from the file download link. Instead of providing a link like http://oink-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/kevinrose-export.zip, links have been changed to http://oink-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/86n0KZ0uSa.zip, which are not attached to usernames. Thanks to Kevin Rose & the Milk team for the fix!
When Oink shut down yesterday, I used their export tool so that I could do something useful with the information I gave them. In requesting my data, which I did simply by filling out a form with only my username, I received the email below. In looking at the link, it seemed that my publicly available username (cristina) called for the download.
Oink Data Download Email
So, curiously, I tried replacing my username with Kevin Rose’s: http://oink-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/kevinrose-export.zip (go ahead, click it). You’ll get a zip file of every item he has ever added, rated or reviewed. You’ll also get every photo he has ever uploaded to Oink.
All of Kevin Rose’s Oink Data
While you may think “So what?”, one’s personal photos and information are fully available for anyone and everyone to download.
Kevin Rose’s Photos
I began thinking about what access I gave to Oink - did I somehow allow them to make all of my data publicly available without my consent? Well, I tried exploring their privacy page, but it seems to conveniently redirect to their data export page. I hope in the Milk team’s next steps at Google, they place a higher value on user data and privacy.
For more on this, check out The Verge, VentureBeat & PCMag.
