Snapchat was once hailed as a revolutionary app. Many people regarded it as the first private social media network, which brought it an unexpectedly large userbase.
But snaps turned out not to be as confidential as people thought.
If you’re worried about your private messages and photos falling into the wrong hands, you’re not the only one. Nowadays, Snapchat is at the center of privacy and security concerns.
The solution might just be joining the #UninstallSnapchat team.
Here’s how.
Before deleting your Snapchat account
In case you’re ready to pull the plug on Snapchat, you might first download a copy of your data. Yes, some things on Snapchat are being recorded and kept.
You can download it as follows:
- Log into your account on accounts.snapchat.com
- Click on ‘My Data’
- Click ‘Submit Request’ at the bottom of the page
- You’ll receive an email to your verified address with a link
- Click on that link to download your data
How to delete your Snapchat account
Now that that’s out of the way, you can go ahead and delete your Snapchat account.
- Log into your account on accounts.snapchat.com
- Select ‘Support’ at the bottom of the page
- Go to ‘My Account & Security’
- Click ‘Account Information’
- Select ‘Delete Account’
Here’s the catch. Your account won’t be automatically deleted.
For 30 days, it will remain suspended.
During these 30 days, you can reactivate your account at any time by simply logging back in if you so wish.
After this period is up, your account will be permanently deleted.
Snapchat’s darker side
Snapchat has been around since 2011 and rapidly grew more and more popular. In 2012 it attracted a huge chunk of the English-speaking world, by providing a fresh and unique way of interacting with others.
Snapchat isn’t about capturing the traditional Kodak moment. It’s about communicating with the full range of human emotion — not just what appears to be pretty or perfect.Evan Spiegel, CEO
The company has been a real pioneer in augmented reality, which users got to experience through filters and interactive lenses.
The app also popularized stories way before they were a thing on Instagram and Facebook.
But the main winning point is in its concept—the self-destructing message mirror how people communicate face-to-face.
But behind the cool and fancy filters, Snapchat is not as private as it claims to be.
First off, your messages on Snapchat are not encrypted. So, it’s on the same level as Facebook’s Messenger.
And of course, just like any other social media, the app collects quite a bit of information about you.
When you sign in, Snapchat stores your email address, phone number, and date of birth. Ok, so far it isn’t that uncommon for a social media app.
But through tracking, it also collects:
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- Your location
- Your interests
- How you use the app
- Whom you text
- Your mobile carrier
- Your chats
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Yes, even if the chats are no longer visible to you, the company still has access to them. It’s also not clear for how long they’re stored on the Snapchat servers.
Your data is also shared with advertisers and other third parties Snapchat is affiliated with. There is no opt-out option for this.
Even if you do not use Snapchat, if a friend allows Snapchat access to their phone book to update contacts, Snapchat will collect information about you from your friend’s contacts. This may include personal information like your name, email address, and phone number.
But Snapchat also has quite a history of mishandling user data.
Yeah, it’s no wonder people are leaving Snapchat in bulk. Especially where there are other more secure and privacy-friendly messaging apps out there.
To have the upper hand on data-mining, use a VPN when going online. Having those extra layers of protection and encryption will keep snoopers at bay.
Are you ready to leave Snapchat behind? What other more secure apps are you considering? Let me know in the comments below.
Until next time, stay safe and secure!
Leave a comment
brigett bond
Posted on 29/08/2022 at 04:50
I want to delete my snap chat profile!! In 2019 my name and profile was hacked and it happened again 2 days ago.. Want to delete any and all association to snap chat
Ghostie
Posted on 29/08/2022 at 11:50
Hi Bridgett! Sorry to hear you went through cybersecurity incidents. To protect your personal information, we’ve took the liberty of removing your other comment which featured your contact information.
You can follow our guide above to delete your Snapchat account. If you have reason to suspect your account has been compromised, please consider filing a Snapchat support request. The team can better advise you on the matter.
Paul Hawkyard
Posted on 12/09/2020 at 15:07
great update, done and done, thanks guys
Adina Ailoaiei
Posted on 14/09/2020 at 08:06
Glad to hear the guide was helpful, Paul. 🙂