Which U.S. agency reached a 20-year privacy monitoring agreement with Snapchat in 2014?

The Federal Trade Commission reached a 20-year privacy monitoring agreement with Snapchat in 2014. The settlement followed FTC allegations that Snapchat had overstated how completely and permanently users’ photos and videos disappeared.

The FTC’s concerns went beyond screenshots. The agency challenged Snapchat’s representations about deletion, privacy, and security, noting that message data might remain in backups or be recoverable in some circumstances. It also alleged problems involving user information and the security of Snapchat’s Find Friends feature.

Under the May 2014 settlement, Snapchat was not fined. Instead, the company had to maintain a comprehensive privacy program and accept independent monitoring for 20 years. The agreement prohibited Snapchat from misrepresenting the extent to which it maintained the privacy, security, or confidentiality of users’ information.

This episode is why “disappearing” should not be read as “impossible to save or recover.” Recipients could still take screenshots or use other recording methods, and deleted data could have a longer technical life than the app’s on-screen timer suggested. The Department of Justice and FCC were not the agencies that made this agreement.