Child Who Hacked Instagram Given $10k Reward
A boy who found a way to permanently delete any comment from the site - even Justin Bieber's - has been given a handsome payout.
15:31, Wednesday 04 May 2016
A most popular Instagram page is displayed on a mobile device screen
A 10-year-old boy has been paid $10,000 (£6,900) by Facebook after he identified a glitch in the company's photo-sharing app Instagram.
Jani is the youngest-ever recipient of the "bug bounty" which the social media giant offers to users and white hat hackers who report weaknesses with its services.
The boy, from Finland, told local media that he had discovered a vulnerability in the comments section of Instagram photos when malicious code was typed in.
"I could have deleted anyone's comments from (Instagram accounts). Even Justin Bieber's," he explained.
Jani's feat is all the more impressive considering he is too young to have his own Facebook or Instagram account under the company's terms of service.
He learned how to code from YouTube videos, and is now considering a career in data security when he grows up.
Facebook paid out the reward money in March - a month after Jani notified them about the vulnerability.
He plans to use his newfound pocket money to splash out on a new bike and a football.
