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Privacy policy

SNAP

Privacy Policy | Snapchat Privacy

D

Risk score

54of 100

In short

  • Snap collects your personal details, precise location, and content to customize your feed and target ads.
  • You give them broad rights to keep your data indefinitely if they choose, even after deletion requests.
  • Changes to this policy may take effect without you directly accepting the new version.

What you accept

If you use this site

Everyday words for the material promises and rights you give up. Each line includes a quote from the document.

Fineprint cannot see whether you agreed. This page is posted on their site. Open the original if you need to know how they say it applies.

  1. 01

    You are agreeing to let Snap process your information to personalize your experience with content and advertisements.

    This product

    “we use the information we collect in order to operate, deliver, and maintain our Services... as well as more relevant advertisements.”
  2. 02

    You are agreeing that Snap can share your account information with friends and other Snapchatters.

    Other companies

    “To provide our Services to you and our community, we may share some of your information with your friends on Snapchat or other Snapchatters.”
  3. 03

    You are agreeing to accept unilateral changes to the privacy policy through website updates or in-app notices.

    This product

    “Sometimes, we’ll let you know by revising the date at the top of the Privacy Policy that’s available on our website and mobile application.”

What it can cost you

Downsides we could quote

Quoted clauses that can affect your privacy, money, or right to go to court — including terms that follow you to other products.

Highest-cost clauses first

High cost

Indefinite retention

You are agreeing to let Snap retain your personal data indefinitely based on their own needs.

“As a general rule, we keep information as long as you tell us to, and otherwise as long as we need it to provide our Services, or as required by law.”

What that means: Your data remains on their servers indefinitely unless Snap decides otherwise.

The company keeps your data for as long as it deems necessary for its services, rather than for a fixed period.

High cost

Location or sensitive-data over-collection

You are agreeing to grant permissions for your phone, contacts, camera, and GPS location.

“information about your device phonebook (contacts and related information), images and other information from your device’s camera, photos, and microphone... precise location information (precise location through methods like GPS signals).”

What that means: Snap gathers intimate details about your physical location, social connections, and environment.

The policy lists collection of precise location, contacts, camera images, and microphone audio.

Medium cost

Difficult or incomplete deletion

You are agreeing that deletion may be delayed or incomplete due to backups and legal holds.

“we cannot promise that deletion will take place by a specific time... we may also keep certain information in backup for a limited period of time or as required by law.”

What that means: You cannot guarantee your data is completely gone when you request deletion.

Deletion is not immediate and data may remain in backups or be kept for legal reasons even after you ask for removal.

Medium cost

Tracking you across apps

You are agreeing to allow cookie tracking unless you manually change your browser settings.

“Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can usually remove or reject browser cookies through the settings on your browser or device. Keep in mind, though, that removing or rejecting cookies could affect the availability and functionality of our Services.”

What that means: You must actively opt out of tracking, or it happens automatically while you use the app.

The company uses tracking technologies like cookies and pixels by default and warns that turning them off limits service access.

Medium cost

Unilateral changes with little or no notice

You are agreeing to potential future changes in how your data is handled.

“We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. But when we do, we’ll let you know one way or another.”

What that means: You may unknowingly consent to new data practices when you continue using the app.

Snap can update its privacy rules at any time and provides notice via updated dates or notifications.

If these terms already apply to you

Keep this list. Fineprint cannot undo or cancel something you already agreed to at the company.

We cannot see Agree on their site. With Premium, tap “I accepted these terms” if you already agreed to what Snap asks.