What Personal Data Does Snapchat Collect From Its Users?

Social relations have changed a lot in the last two decades. If before recreational machines caused a furor wherever they were installed, today it is the mobile applications (apps) that entertain us and captivate us with their functionalities.

Today we’re here to talk about one of these little wonders created from code, we’re here to talk about Snapchat, yes, that app with a littlewhite ghostembedded behind a striking yellow background. But, more specifically tosee and analyze how it obtains, stores and manages the personal data of its users.

Although Instagram and TikTok currently captivate millions of young people, Snapchat continues in the market with a strong and important presence among the youngest.

Its success is due to the fact that it was a pioneer in creating ephemeral content, such as very famousstories,and the capture ofphotographs with added filters, such as the creative puppy face that almost all of us have used.

This popular application was born in the United States on September 1, 2011 byEvan Spiegel,Bobby MurphyandReggie Brown, students at Stanford University in California.

Since its launch, it has been the pioneer app increating ephemeral content, such as famous storiesand capturingphotos with added filters, such as the creative puppy face that almost all of us have used.

Its foothold in the social media market is such that it is currently considered one of the most important applications along with Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook. So far everything is correct, butdo you know their privacy policy?

If WhatsApp and Facebook created a great controversy a long time ago for sharing user data between them and theirholdings, it may be convenient to analyzewhat personal data Snapchat collects from its users.

Personal data required by Snapchat to create an account

When we are going to create a Snapchat account, the application requires usto provide the following data:

• 1. Name, username and password.
• 2. Email address.
• 3. Mobile phone number.
• 4. Date of birth.
• 5. Profile photo or Bitmoji avatar.
• 6. If payment services are used, the debit or credit card number and associated account information must be provided.

This information is what you give to the application when you create an account. In addition, all the photos and videos that you create with the app are also considered personal data that you freely give to Snapchat.

You should also keep in mind that, when interacting with other users, nothing prevents you or them from taking a screenshot and saving or publishing this personal content outside of the app.

And this is one of the biggest dangers of all applications, the loss of control over the content and information you share with other users. It is important to be cautious and make good use of social networks.

Data that Snapchat collects from its users (during their use)

Activity within the app: Like the vast majority of applications, Snapchat records all movements and actions while you use it or interact with the application. Thus, Snapchat collects the following information:

• 1. Usage Data.(Filters you use, stories you see onDiscover, how you communicate with other users such as names, number of messages you send, who you interact with the most, among others.).
• 2. Data about the content you create(photos, videos, filters, etc.), as well as information about the recipient who has viewed this content.
• 3. Information about your device such as hardware, software, model, operating system version, memory it has, the applications you install on it, the browser you use, your battery level, and information about the Wi-Fi network, among other data. It even logs your ISP (Internet Service Provider), IP address, and signal strength at home. There are many data!
• 4. Information from your contacts,that is, from your agenda.
• 5. Camera informationsuch as videos, photos, etc. You must give a permission for the app to access the phone’s camera.
• 6. Information about the user’s location, for this it accesses data from the GPS, the WiFi network, mobile phone towers and the smartphone’s own sensors.
• 7. Data on the activity and the browser used, by accepting the cookie policy.
• 8. It also records browser datawhen you use the application from the website such as the language of use, the times you access, the web pages you visit, the IP address, the pages you visit before and after Snapchat, among others.

How to have more privacy on Snapchat?

On the other hand, it is important to configure privacy on Snapchat to share only the data that interests us or that best suits your profile:

First, access your profile and in theSettings section, selectWho canand click onContact me. There you can decide who you give permission to contact you directly with snaps, chats or calls.

Second, you can also set who can see your stories:Everyone,friends only, or friends except...

Thirdly, one of the most important aspects isto configure your location. You can activate Ghost Mode, so no one can see your location, or choose betweenEveryone,My friendsandOnly these friends.