Snapchat, the popular photo and video sharing app which promises the content users share will disappear quickly, has settled with the FTC over false marketing and lax security. The FTC accused Snapchat of deceptive marketing and allowing a security breach earlier this year due to the fact that data from up to 4.6 million of its users could be compromised.
The app gained popularity largely due to the fact that people could send and receive photos and videos, which would display briefly and then supposedly ‘disappear forever.’ This feature gave users the false idea that they could share images and videos, without risk of them getting saved or sent on to people other than the original recipient. Of course, this was a very popular app for ‘sexting,’ and many people were shocked to find their images or videos were still viewable, or even posted online.
According to the complaint filed by the FTC, videos sent through the app were able to be easily retrieved by simply plugging the phone into the computer. Despite the fact that the videos were supposed to be completely deleted after being viewed, they were still stored on the devices. In addition, iPhone users could take a screenshot of a video they had received, without alerting the sender that it was done. Lastly, geolocation information was stored on some Android users, which violated Snapchat’s privacy policy.
Another violation that the FTC filed against Snapchat was that the app accessed the names and phone numbers of the users’ friends, without letting them know. This was not fixed until iOS6.
Snapchat has now settled with the FTC. In the settlement, Snapchat does not admit to any wrongdoing, but will be subject to several privacy requirements put in place by the FTC for the next 20 years. This includes having to be more transparent in explaining to users how messages may be accessed. They will also be subject to privacy reviews every two years to ensure compliance. A violation of the agreement may result in fines of $16,000 per offense.
