Did you know the latest social media application, Snapchat, is not only a data broker but also secretly participates in the United States National Security Agency’s PRISM surveillance program? We wanted to share this important information with all of our readers who are not aware of all the facts about Snapchat and its implications for privacy. The magic show snapchat is fake.
This article is an examination of what goes on behind the scenes at Snapchat and how it impacts you. It’s imperative that we all have a better understanding of these types of issues so that we can make informed decisions based on what matters most to us. We hope you’ll enjoy this post!
1. Who is behind Snapchat?
Originally called Picaboo, Snapchat was created by three Stanford University students who wanted to come up with a new way to share photos. On July 1, 2011, Reggie Brown sued the company and its founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, alleging he had been ousted from his position as a “co-founder” of the company and was owed millions in damages. Brown settled his lawsuit for $157.5 million in September 2012.
The new name for the app became Snapchat and it started to gain popularity among young adults. The app is free for download on Apple products, Android products and Microsoft phones but you can also access it via an internet browser .
2. What Is The Problem With Snapchat? It’s A Privacy Nightmare!
As a whole, the privacy policy of Snapchat is extremely worrisome and should be avoided at all costs. The company’s website states it is free to use but they can still collect your personal information, including your email address, physical location and telephone number. Even your precise location via GPS and phone camera are fair game for being collected by the app.
However, what really makes this app especially troubling is its data sharing policy that lets it share your personal information with third-parties or affiliates. It will share your personal info to advertisers or app publishers who might have links to your personal information.
Snapchat’s privacy policy is a complete and total nightmare!
3. What Do They Have? How Is It Accessible?
Since its inception, Snapchat has grown tremendously in popularity among young adults and teens. Unfortunately, this app is very easy for anyone to use, even with no knowledge of technology. One benefit about using an application like Snapchat is that you can use it without even having to download the app on your phone first. You can simply access the website from a computer on the internet or through an internet browser .
Additionally, the app is extremely user-friendly and simple to use. All you have to do is set up a username and password, create an account and start snapping pictures of yourself or whatever it is you want to share with others!
4. How Does It Work? It’s Really Simple!
Snapchat lets users take photos or record short videos with their camera which will then be quickly sent over the internet to a recipient. However, the catch about this technology is that the sender decides how long (up to ten seconds) you get to view the image before it gets deleted from your device.
The recipient can take a screenshot of the image during the designated time, but if they do, they will not be able to view it. After the allotted time has passed, you will never be able to see that image again .
5. What Types Of Information Does Snapchat Collect?
The most important thing to remember about Snapchat is that it constantly collects your personal information including your location and device ID. The way this application works is by locating where you are through your phone camera and GPS. You don’t have to manually enter in any information for this app to work properly. Additionally, Facebook users can login with their Snapchat account as well as exchange information with each other.
6. What Do They Use The Information For?
We already explored how Snapchat uses your personal information to both sell ads and share data with advertisers, but that’s not all. The company also sells your personal information to third-party firms, including their competitors.
This application has ties to the military efforts of the National Security Agency (NSA) that is guilty of spying on U.S. citizens in an effort to protect national security. This includes sharing subscriber information, obtaining text messages and even video chats between users without their consent or knowledge!
Conclusion:
To learn more, please watch the video above! If you are concerned about your privacy and wish to avoid software that collects your personal information without your consent, we recommend using a virtual private network (VPN) so you can browse anonymously.
This great software encrypts all of your data so no one can track what you are doing online. By using a VPN, you will also be able to access restricted content like Facebook that is normally blocked in certain countries.
We highly encourage all of our readers to spend a few minutes learning about this new social media app and how it may be negatively impacting their lives. Hopefully this information has helped open some eyes to the potential dangers associated with Snapchat and similar applications .
