Snapchat
Summary
Snapchat is a social media platform that allows you to send photos and videos directly to your friends. You can apply filters, lenses, and other fun effects. The app can be downloaded for free from the App Store.
Breach History
Has there ever been a breach or data leak?
Date of last breach
May 2019
A new report from Motherboard suggested that Snapchat employees had been able to snoop on users' personal information and activity. Employees could access internal tools that allowed them to view location data, saved Snaps, email addresses, and phone numbers of users. The number of accounts breached is unknown.
Privacy Checklist
Is any kind of biometric data collected (health, heart, voice, etc.)?
Are you able to delete your data / the data collected about you?
Does it use cookies, telemetry, or third-party tracking scripts?
Is the privacy policy user-friendly (easy to understand)?
Does it have parental controls?
Does it use encryption to protect your data both in-transit and at-rest?
Does it get regular software and / or firmware updates?
Does it require you to create a strong password?
Is there a system in place for managing security vulnerabilities?
Does it have a privacy policy?
How Can It Snoop?
Does it have a camera or request / require access to a camera?
Does it have a microphone or request / require access to a microphone?
Does it track your location or request / require access to location data?
Account Requirements
Does it require an email address to use?
Does it require a phone number to use?
Does it require an address (home or office) to use?
Payment Options
Are you able to use a credit card as a payment option?
Are you able to use a cryptocurrency as a payment option?
Are you able to use PayPal as a payment option?
Are you able to use cash or gift cards as a payment option?
What Could Go Wrong?
Snapchat can share your information with third parties for advertising purposes, which means you may be targeted with ads based on your interests. Snapchat also has a bug bounty program, which means there is a community of hackers trying to hack into Snapchat and may gain access to your personal information. Be aware of these risks when using this app.
How Does It Share Your Data?
Snapchat may share your personal information with third parties to target you with personalized ads and in compliance with any legal request.
Good Things
- Free to use.
- Easy to send photos and video to friends.
Bad Things
- Design of user interface is constantly changing, making it difficult to use.
Final Thoughts
Snapchat is a popular app used by many, but has many privacy concerns. Snapchat may share your personal information with third parties to target you with personalized ads. Snapchat having access to your personal information is a cautionary sign. Be mindful while using the app.