Last Wednesday, Snapchat changed a few details in its privacy policy that have users nervous about using the service. Rumors immediately circulated that the company was saving and stockpiling user snaps.

The company put out a statement that personal photos remain personal, unless someone screenshots it. They also clarified the time frame for snaps in their server.

“So in many cases the messages sent through our services are automatically deleted from our servers once we detect that they have been viewed or have expired….Some of our services, such as My Story, Replay, and Live, allow users to interact with the messages and content you provide through the services for a longer period of time. That means those messages and content may be available on our servers and a recipient’s device after they’ve been viewed or expired,” the Message Deletion and Retention section reads in the Privacy Policy.

Snapchat also says that some information may be delayed in the deletion process as required by law.

When there are third parties involved, like the Pay to Replay feature, Snapchat is not responsible for how the third party collects and uses the information you provide that third party. Types of third parties are listed in the Privacy Policy.

If you change your mind about letting them collect information from consented sources, like your phonebook, camera, or location services, you can rescind that permission by changing the settings on your phone.

Other information collected involves internet activity that Snapchat and outside companies may use to better advertise to you. That’s also how Facebook knows where you’ve been shopping online. Same concept.

None of your information is going somewhere you haven’t already given permission for them to use, either through making the information public or by using certain features. If you don’t want the company to have that information, you can change the setting in the app or on your phone.

https://www.snapchat.com/privacy

http://www.engadget.com/2015/11/02/snapchat-privacy-policy-update/

http://blog.snapchat.com/post/132379796495/protecting-your-privacy