Privacy issues in Snapchat

The contact book and albums of the device would be collected as well. This app would scan the users’ contact books and albums to connect their customers with their friends. But the user could change the setting on the device to whether allow or deny this information collecting process.

The company would also collect the location information of their users. According to privacy policy, the location information is used to filter messages which would send to the users. However, the user would be notified if this app is allowed to access the user’s location while he/she is not using it. I personally suggest to disable this function because it would create some safety problems.

Then this app would use cookies to collect information as some websites do. Cookies are small piece of data which contains the user’s online surfing or using information, such as log-in name and password. But if the user do not want to be tracked, just simply delete the cookies will work.

Last but not least, the information of website the user visit would be monitored as well. It includes but not limited to preferred web browser, preferred languages, time, pages and IP address. This process is silent and the user would not be notified.[2]

Reference:

      [1]iTunes. (2015,Oct14). Snapchat, Inc.Retrieved from: 

                    https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/snapchat/id447188370?mt=8

      [2]Snapchat, Inc. (2014, Nov 17). Privacy Policy. Retrieved from: 

                    https://www.snapchat.com/privacy

      [3]Common Sense Media. (2015). Retrieved from: 

                    https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/snapchat#

      [4]Magid. L. (2013, May 1). What is Snapchat and Why D Kids Love It and Parents Fear It?      (updated). Retrieved from: 

                    http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2013/05/01/what-is-snapchat-and-why-do-kids-   love-it-and-parents-fear-it/