Easy Google Knowledge Panel Identity Theft?

Ari Roth from Five Blocks showed us how he was able to claim the knowledge graph profile of the American theatrical producer Ari Roth. In short, this is an issue with whomever at Google is manually reviewing this verification request of not doing their research and making a mistake.

The American theatrical producer (older) Ari Roth knowledge panel already mistakenly had the SEO Ari Roth’s Twitter account linked by mistake. Google thought the younger Ari Roth’s Twitter account was for the older Ari Roth. So that gave Ari an easy in.

He went through the Google knowledge panel verification process and a few days later Google gave the younger SEO Ari Roth full access to the older theatrical producer Ari Roth. This was clearly (a) a mistaken algorithmic social media profile link that let to a (b) manual reviewer being sloppy and validating this knowledge panel claim request.

Very similar indeed! Google needs to close the loophole and install better quality control among their verification reviewers.

— Ari Roth (@aroth26) July 18, 2019

Chances of this happening to others? I assume it can, if it did already.

Forum discussion at Twitter.