What Snapchat is and how the basic features work
Snapchat is a messaging app where photos and videos disappear after the person you sent them to views them. You take a photo or video with your phone's camera, add text or drawings if you want, and send it to a friend or a group. Once they open it, the message vanishes — it does not stay in their inbox or get saved to their phone unless they take a screenshot or use Snapchat's save feature.
The app also has a "Stories" feature where you can post photos or videos that stay visible for 24 hours. Your friends can see your story during that window, and then it disappears. Unlike direct messages, stories are not private — anyone you are friends with on Snapchat can see them unless you change your privacy settings.
Snapchat also includes filters and lenses, which are effects you can add to your photos or videos. Filters change the look of the whole image — like adding a black-and-white tone or a weather overlay. Lenses are more interactive and can distort your face, add virtual objects, or create animations. These are free to use and change frequently.
Key Takeaways
- Photos and videos you send disappear after someone views them, but they can take a screenshot or save the message before it vanishes.
- Stories you post are visible to all your friends for 24 hours, then disappear automatically unless you save them yourself.
- Snapchat collects location data, contacts, and information about how you use the app, which it shares with advertisers and third-party companies.
- Your account can be hacked if you use a weak password or reuse passwords from other apps, so use a unique, strong password.
- Snapchat's terms of service allow the company to use your photos, videos, and username in ads and other content without asking your permission first.
What data Snapchat collects and where it goes
Snapchat collects more information than just the messages you send. The app tracks your location using GPS, collects your contacts list, records which friends you message most often, and logs how long you spend in the app and which features you use. It also collects information from your device — your phone's unique identifier, your operating system, and the apps you have installed.
Snapchat shares this data with advertisers and third-party companies. The company uses your location, age, interests, and behavior to build a profile of you, then sells that profile to advertisers who want to target you with ads. Snapchat also shares data with analytics companies, marketing firms, and other tech companies that help run the platform.
You can limit some of this tracking by changing your privacy settings. In the app, go to Settings, then Privacy, and you can turn off location sharing, limit who can contact you, and control who can see your story. However, Snapchat still collects data about your app usage and device information even if you turn off location sharing.
How to protect your account from being hacked
Snapchat accounts are targets for hackers because they contain your photos, videos, and contact list. The most common way accounts get hacked is through a weak or reused password. If you use the same password on Snapchat that you use on other apps or websites, and one of those services gets breached, hackers can use that password to access your Snapchat account.
Create a password that is at least 12 characters long and includes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not use words from the dictionary, your name, your birthday, or information that is straightforward to guess. Use a different password for Snapchat than you use anywhere else.
Turn on two-factor authentication in your Snapchat settings. This means that even if someone has your password, they cannot log in without a code that Snapchat sends to your phone or email. Go to Settings, then Account, then Two-Factor Authentication, and choose whether you want codes sent by text message or email. Text message is faster, but email is more find if your phone number is not private.
What happens to photos and videos you delete
When you delete a photo or video from Snapchat, it is removed from the app on your phone, but Snapchat's servers still have a copy. Snapchat states in its privacy policy that it keeps deleted messages for a limited time for technical and legal reasons, but the company does not say exactly how long. In practice, this means that even after you delete something, Snapchat can still access it if needed for an investigation or legal case.
If someone takes a screenshot of your message before it disappears, that screenshot is saved to their phone and Snapchat cannot delete it. Snapchat does notify you when someone screenshots a message you sent them, but the notification appears only after the screenshot is already taken. The person who took the screenshot can then share it with anyone else.
Stories that you delete are also kept on Snapchat's servers for a period of time. If you post something to your story and then delete it, the people who saw it before you deleted it still saw it, and they may have taken screenshots. Snapchat does not notify you if someone screenshots your story.
How Snapchat uses your photos and videos in ads
Snapchat's terms of service state that the company can use your photos, videos, and username in advertisements and other content without asking your permission first. This means Snapchat can take a photo you posted to your story or sent to a friend and use it in an ad that appears to other users. The company can also use your username alongside that photo.
You cannot completely prevent Snapchat from using your content in ads, but you can limit it. Go to Settings, then Privacy, then Ads, and you can choose to see fewer ads based on your interests. You can also report ads that use your content or that you find offensive. However, this does not stop Snapchat from using your content — it only changes which ads you see.
If you are under 18, Snapchat has stricter rules about using your content in ads, but the company can still use your photos and videos in some cases. Parents and guardians should be aware that anything their child posts to Snapchat could potentially be used in advertising.
The difference between private messages and stories
Private messages on Snapchat are sent directly to one person or a small group, and they disappear after being viewed. Stories are posted publicly to all your friends at once and stay visible for 24 hours. The privacy difference matters because a private message is seen only by the people you chose to send it to, while a story is seen by everyone you are friends with.
You can control who sees your story by changing your privacy settings. Go to Settings, then Privacy, then View My Story, and you can choose to let all friends see it, only close friends, or specific people. You can also block certain people from seeing your story without unfriending them. However, if you post to your story, you are still sharing it with a group of people, not sending it privately like a direct message.
Stories are also more permanent in a practical sense. Even though they disappear after 24 hours, anyone who sees your story can take a screenshot before it vanishes. With private messages, you get a notification that someone took a screenshot, but with stories, you do not. This means people can save your story content without you knowing.
How Snapchat's location feature works and what it shares
Snapchat's location feature, called Snap Map, shows your location to your friends on a map. When you turn on location sharing, your friends can see where you are in real time. You can control who sees your location by changing your privacy settings — you can share it with all friends, only close friends, or turn it off completely.
Even if you turn off location sharing in Snapchat, the app still collects your location data. Snapchat uses this information to show you location-based ads and to improve its services. The company also shares location data with third-party companies for advertising and analytics purposes.
If you do not want Snapchat to collect your location at all, you can turn off location permissions for the app in your phone's settings. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Location Services, find Snapchat, and choose "Never". On Android, go to Settings, then Apps, find Snapchat, then Permissions, then Location, and choose "Don't allow". This prevents Snapchat from accessing your location even if the app asks for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone see my Snapchat messages after they disappear?
The person you sent the message to cannot see it after it disappears from their phone, but Snapchat's servers keep a copy for a limited time. If someone took a screenshot before the message disappeared, they have a permanent copy on their phone. Snapchat notifies you when someone screenshots a direct message, but not when they screenshot a story.
What should I do if my Snapchat account gets hacked?
Change your password when ready from a different device. Go to Snapchat's website, click "Forgot your password," and follow the steps to reset it. Then turn on two-factor authentication so the hacker cannot log back in. Check your email for any notifications from Snapchat about unusual activity, and report the hack to Snapchat's support team through the app.
Can I delete my Snapchat account permanently?
Yes. Go to the Snapchat website, log in, and go to your account settings. Click "Delete Account" and follow the steps. Snapchat will delete your account after 30 days, but during that time you can cancel the deletion if you change your mind. After 30 days, your account and most of your data are permanently removed.
Does Snapchat sell my data to other companies?
Snapchat does not sell your personal information directly, but it shares data with advertisers, analytics companies, and other third parties for advertising and business purposes. This is similar to selling in practice — companies can use your data to target you with ads and build profiles about you.
Is Snapchat safe for teenagers to use?
Snapchat has risks like any social media app. Teenagers should know that anything they post can be screenshot and shared, that their location can be tracked, and that their data is used for advertising. Parents should talk to their teenagers about privacy settings, not accepting messages from strangers, and being careful about what they share online.