Snapchat has been an app on my phone for nearly eight years. The little ghost icon is a staple on many millennials’ smartphones, and it has turned into one of the most influential social media apps out there.
For an app that exclusively sees users’ faces, it was interesting for me to dive into the app’s privacy and information collection policies. Snapchat also introduced a geolocation feature in 2017 where you can view your friends’ locations on the “snap map” or a map of the world. Ghost Mode is an on/off feature that allows users to choose to share their location with their friends.
I went to Snapchat’s settings, which are limited to changing your Ghost Mode setting, your Bitmoji’s clothes and submitting map issues. Snapchat is powered by three different softwares – Mapbox, OpenStreetMap and Maxar. I researched what these platforms are all about. Each software serves a different role in the aspects that make Snapchat work.
Mapbox works with Snapchat in the snap map that lets users see other public stories in specific locations around the country and world. OpenStreetMap is open data that is licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.
According to Maxar’s website, they are “the most discriminating and innovative customers on the planet. We deliver breakthrough technology and insights to unlock infinite possibilities for a better world.” At first glance, that statement is a little vague, but it seems like Maxar is a company that specializes in using location tracking to collect data for the companies they work or. Maxar states in their privacy policy “we will only use or disclose personal information for the specific purposes for which it was collected, except with your consent or as required or permitted by law.”
What is interesting about these companies is that most users have never heard of them. Snapchat is well known, but the companies that are actually taking and utilizing the data are not.
Maxar collects cookies, which are small text files that track users’ tendencies on the app. They also mention that they use or disclose personal information for the specific purposes for which it was collected and it can all be shared by Maxar’s subsidiaries. With the information Maxar provides on its website, it is still difficult to know what exactly they are using the personal information for.
Snapchat collects users’ snaps, chats and personal information within the app. In addition, Snapchat knows where users are despite if Ghost Mode is turned on or off. This is an example of why users need a little more transparency from apps when it comes to locations tracking. Many people probably don’t realize Snapchat is tracking their location even though they are not visible on the snap map.
The social media app also can get personal information about you from other apps that are advertising partners with Snapchat. Any time you interact with an ad on Snapchat, the information about your interact is relayed to the advertising company and in turn, helps them create more targeted ads for you.
You don’t use Snapchat, you say? Well, according to VPN Overview, which is a Dutch cybersecurity media website, even if you don’t have the Snapchat app, if a friend allows Snapchat to access their phone book for contacts, your information is being shared with Snapchat. It seems as though the main reason behind Snapchat collect your personal information and location is for better targeting for advertisers.
Snapchat has more detailed privacy information if you tap your bitmoji or person icon in the top left of the camera screen. From there you can look into turning off your data usage sharing on the map tabs, which is turned on automatically and is not a feature that asks for permission.
We can assume that most social media apps or other apps that require personal information to be submitted are tracking our data, location and tendencies. Our goal with new technological advances should be to have as much transparency as possible, but apps have shown that is not always easy or what is desired.
References
https://vpnoverview.com/privacy/social-media/what-does-snapchat-know-about-me/
MAGGIE PRUITT 