Houseparty
Houseparty said it was investigating claims of a 'smear campaign'
- Popular group calling app Houseparty is sticking to its belief that it's the subject of a paid smear campaign that is spreading rumours the app has been hacked.
- The company says it has discovered the original posts on Twitter first claiming the app had been hacked - but most have either been deleted or suspended.
- Houseparty users complained on social media that their other online accounts such as Netflix and Spotify were hacked thanks to the app, but there was no evidence to back up these claims.
- The firm said these claims were part of a "smear campaign" and offered up to $1 million to anyone who can supply proof.
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Group calling app Houseparty says it has found the original posts on Twitter that first spread claims it got hacked - but those posts have now vanished.
Earlier this week, some apparent Houseparty users complained on social media that their PayPal, Netflix, Spotify and online banking accounts were compromised, with one Twitter user urging Houseparty: "pls don't hack me I just wanna speak to my friends."
It isn't clear how these users thought Houseparty may have compromised their other accounts.
Unusually, the firm went on to claim the posts were part of a paid smear campaign and offered a $1 million bounty to anyone who could provide proof - though it has yet to publish any terms and conditions for anyone wanting to claim the cash.
Approached for an update on Wednesday, a Houseparty spokeswoman said: "Our investigation has found that many of the original tweets spreading the claim have been deleted, and we've noticed Twitter accounts suspended.
"It's a disheartening situation for a service like ours that's bringing people much needed face-to-face social connections and empathy at a critical time."
Business Insider understands that Twitter has yet to find evidence of a coordinated campaign.
Houseparty has seen its popularity skyrocket in parallel with extensive social distancing measures around the world.
Its app lets users take part in group video chats, games and quizzes, and has surged in popularity during coronavirus lockdowns imposed on people across the world. According to Apptopia data cited by VentureBeat, downloads of the app grew 2,000% from mid-February to mid-March.
Houseparty has something of a history with Twitter.
The app's predecessor "Meerkat" was a live streaming app that allowed users to broadcast videos - including via other social media apps like Twitter.
In 2015, weeks after its release and a jump in popularity, Twitter cut off Meerkat's access to its network and brought rival Periscope in-house.
Meerkat was subsequently subsequently shut down and replaced by Houseparty, with many personnel staying on for the transition.
Speaking at the time, then-CEO Ben Rubin told an audience at Disrupt NY that finding out Twitter had cut off Meerkat's access "sucked".
Houseparty launched in 2016 and was acquired by Epic Games in 2019. Epic Games is also the creator of hit game "Fortnite".
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