Google appears to be experiencing some major issues with its chat service today. A large number of users have complained on Twitter and at Google's product forums that messages are being delivered to the wrong recipients on Google Talk. The problems appear to have started earlier today, and result in contacts incorrectly receiving communications that were supposed to be sent to others. Some Google Talk users are also reporting that users outside of their contact list are receiving the messages.
It's not immediately clear what's causing the issue, but it appears to largely affect Google Talk users who have not yet upgraded to Google's new Hangouts service. It's clearly a privacy problem if users of a chat service are receiving the wrong messages, and the majority of complainants have highlighted that. A Google status message confirms the company is "investigating reports of an issue with Google Talk." We've reached out to Google for further comment on the problem, and we'll update you accordingly.
Update: Google says "the issue has been resolved and all services are gradually returning to normal." In a statement to The Verge the company says it has "identified the problem, stopped it from recurring, and are currently working on a fix." A company spokesperson says it is "very sorry to anyone affected."
Comments
Wait. What?
Hopefully they fix this quickly.
By harshpwd on 09.26.13 4:54am
“appears to largely affect Google Talk users who have not yet upgraded to Google’s new Hangouts service”
There’s already a fix, use hangouts.
By Razormike on 09.26.13 5:37am
Do you know about a standalone Hangout client for Windows?
By hicario on 09.26.13 5:55am
Just leave chrome open on gmail?
By Popher on 09.26.13 5:57am
I don’t use Chrome and I don’t like to use such application in my web browser that I use to browse the web…it is just like trying to watch the TV opening my fridge in my opinion. So, I would prefer a lot a standalone client.
By hicario on 09.26.13 6:01am
Use the plugin…you don’t need to leave Chrome open…at just runs as a background service like Skype
https://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/hangoutplugin
https://support.google.com/chat/answer/161993?hl=en
By etwashoo on 09.26.13 6:35am
There’s an app you can download for chrome, I’m not sure if it’s first party, or how well it works though.
By Razormike on 09.26.13 6:00am
I am using Firefox that supports a lot better the heavy charge when loading ton of tabs but thanks anyway.
By hicario on 09.26.13 6:03am
There’s a chrome extension that acts like a client on windows/mac ..
http://www.google.com/hangouts/
By Ahmed Haji on 09.26.13 6:16am
Thanks for the suggestion but when I mean a standalone client I really mean a standalone client. I don’t want to install A to get B…and I don’t want to load A to use B. I don’t want a useless service or a kind of damn virtual machine to just use a simple messaging client.
So, that’s why I am asking here about that as I am currently using the GTalk standalone client which just need its own files to work and not something else. And as I suppose there is some kind of open API, I am asking if someone know about a real standalone client.
By hicario on 09.26.13 6:32am
Chrome is the standalone client…you’re just trying to argue around it
By etwashoo on 09.26.13 6:38am
Chrome is a web browser…or a heavy standalone messaging client with ton of useless stuff.
You know, I left Nero Burning ROM when they started to put in their damn program lot of crap, so I will not download Chrome just to use a messaging client…that doesn’t seem too hard to understand.
By hicario on 09.26.13 6:43am
Just did a fresh reboot with the plugin running at startup (You do realize the plugin doesn’t require you to open a Chrome window): 300MB memory usage, virtually no CPU in task manager. Not exactly heavy.
Skype typically (I can’t install Skype at work, but I can Chrome) takes 160MB and who know how much more with memory leaks.
By etwashoo on 09.26.13 7:20am
Could you quality “virtually no” CPU activity? And I’d consider 300MB very heavy, I’ve always thought of Skype as bloated and it takes 100MB on my desktop. Granted it’s not a huge problem on modern devices, but if we’re arguing the point anyhow.
By Lumic on 09.26.13 8:03am
It sit’s there idling on a three-year-old, run-of-the-mill Latitude at 0% CPU. Opening a chat window spikes to 14% for 1 second and then back to 0% in task manager. When I type a message: 2% max CPU on a crappy old dual core.
By etwashoo on 09.26.13 8:50am
Nope, you’re missing the point. A standalone application (like the one available for Google Talk) is desirable for some users, as opposed to having to load an entire web browser.
By oscillik on 09.26.13 6:56am
if 300MB and no open Chrome window is too much to load, then you should think about upgrading your One Laptop Per Child
By etwashoo on 09.26.13 7:25am
It’s not even about system resources. Some people don’t like clutter. You are an obnoxious individual.
By oscillik on 09.26.13 7:50am
But he is correct, it only boots up the background Chrome service, which most people already have running. It is basically a stand alone app. The same way Java apps need you to have Java installed.
By Kodess on 09.26.13 7:53am
He is only correct if the user in question accepts running Chrome in the background. However, if the user does not want to run Chrome, in any way, then this is not correct.
Trying to enforce it in a polite manner is, at best, wrong. Trying to enforce it in the manner that etwashoo has tried to here, is obnoxious, and embodies the very essence of the negative image that computer literate users have.
By oscillik on 09.26.13 8:01am
The difference is Java comes with Java only and not with a Bluray player, a web browser, a file manager or whatever you are thinking.
By hicario on 09.26.13 8:02am
How about this scenario: at work I need to be constantly logged to various work-related gmail accounts (that are shared among numeous users). I would also like to be logged into my personal gmail account for GTalk. The standalone GTalk client lets me do that, the Hangouts app in Chrome does not.
I don’t think my situation is really that unique…
By superarbuz on 09.26.13 8:12am
FFS use skype and quit whining
By teqnick on 09.26.13 6:42am
What is that, a hive spirit? The hive is not in danger because someone on internet is requesting for a standalone client… Are you offended because I am asking if someone is aware about a standalone client? That’s crazy…
By hicario on 09.26.13 6:47am
Their is no standalone for hangouts and with Google soon to be mandating everybody to use G+ for anything Google related. That will not change at all, I give it a little before Gmail is basically going to be just your G+ inbox. So you wanna use it you will use G+ people will be forced too pretty much since Android is so everywhere. Then you will see the lock in begin.
By TheOne2125 on 09.26.13 10:48am