Path Wants To Kiss And Make Up

A few months ago the developers of Path updated their, initially poorly received, social networking app to version 2.0. This update brought with it a beautifully updated UI and a large number of new users and love. A few days ago the love affair with Path took a bit of a hit and the Internet blew up (as it tends to do over "scandals") due to the discovery by iOS developer and blogger Arun Thampi that Path was, without the users' knowledge or permission, uploading the entire contents of their address books to a server via a .plist. After addressing the issue through some comments on TechCrunch, it just fizzled out, but Dave Morin, CEO of Path, issued a statement on their blog explaining his company's stance, but not going as far as a full blown apology:

We made a mistake. Over the last couple of days users brought to light an issue concerning how we handle your personal information on Path, specifically the transmission and storage of your phone contacts. As our mission is to build the world’s first personal network, a trusted place for you to journal and share life with close friends and family, we take the storage and transmission of your personal information very, very seriously.

After this statement. Morin and his team worked quickly to remove this unapproved data collected from their servers and this morning they pushed an update to the App Store. The update brings the app to version 2.0.6 in an effort to stem the torrent of, in my opinion, over the top reaction to this situation. The new update now gives the user an option to share their address book if they see fit, and continues to let Path tightly integrate with life, or you can deny this privilege. The last few days haven't affected my love for Path, but has it caused damage for you? Have you stopped using the app or do you expect these things with social networking? Let us know what you think in the comments section below, but go easy, it's my first day!

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