Vice has a report that based on ‘multiple sources’ and a cache of internal emails, Snapchat employees were spying on users:
Two former employees said multiple Snap employees abused their access to Snapchat user data several years ago. Those sources, as well as an additional two former employees, a current employee, and a cache of internal company emails obtained by Motherboard, described internal tools that allowed Snap employees at the time to access user data, including in some cases location information, their own saved Snaps and personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses. Snaps are photos or videos that, if not saved, typically disappear after being received (or after 24 hours if posted to a user’s Story).
And:
One of the internal tools that can access user data is called SnapLion, according to multiple sources and the emails. The tool was originally used to gather information on users in response to valid law enforcement requests, such as a court order or subpoena, two former employees said. Both of the sources said SnapLion is a play on words with the common acronym for law enforcement officer LEO, with one of them adding it is a reference to the cartoon character Leo the Lion. Snap’s “Spam and Abuse” team has access, according to one of the former employees, and a current employee suggested the tool is used to combat bullying or harassment on the platform by other users. An internal Snap email obtained by Motherboard says a department called “Customer Ops” has access to SnapLion. Security staff also have access, according to the current employee. The existence of this tool has not been previously reported.
SnapLion provides “the keys to the kingdom,” one of the former employees who described the abuse of accessing user data said.
What makes this really bad is that Snapchat users choose the platform specifically because of its perceived privacy. And what this report proves is that Snapchat users potentially have none. Though the company would rather that you didn’t think about that based on this statement:
A Snap spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement “Protecting privacy is paramount at Snap. We keep very little user data, and we have robust policies and controls to limit internal access to the data we do have. Unauthorized access of any kind is a clear violation of the company’s standards of business conduct and, if detected, results in immediate termination.”
Sure. Right. I’m not buying that and neither should you if you use Snapchat. And once again this highlights that companies like Snap need to be reigned in and regulated. Otherwise this sort of thing will simply keep happening.
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This entry was posted on May 24, 2019 at 9:52 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Snapchat. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Snapchat Caught Spying On Its Users
Vice has a report that based on ‘multiple sources’ and a cache of internal emails, Snapchat employees were spying on users:
Two former employees said multiple Snap employees abused their access to Snapchat user data several years ago. Those sources, as well as an additional two former employees, a current employee, and a cache of internal company emails obtained by Motherboard, described internal tools that allowed Snap employees at the time to access user data, including in some cases location information, their own saved Snaps and personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses. Snaps are photos or videos that, if not saved, typically disappear after being received (or after 24 hours if posted to a user’s Story).
And:
One of the internal tools that can access user data is called SnapLion, according to multiple sources and the emails. The tool was originally used to gather information on users in response to valid law enforcement requests, such as a court order or subpoena, two former employees said. Both of the sources said SnapLion is a play on words with the common acronym for law enforcement officer LEO, with one of them adding it is a reference to the cartoon character Leo the Lion. Snap’s “Spam and Abuse” team has access, according to one of the former employees, and a current employee suggested the tool is used to combat bullying or harassment on the platform by other users. An internal Snap email obtained by Motherboard says a department called “Customer Ops” has access to SnapLion. Security staff also have access, according to the current employee. The existence of this tool has not been previously reported.
SnapLion provides “the keys to the kingdom,” one of the former employees who described the abuse of accessing user data said.
What makes this really bad is that Snapchat users choose the platform specifically because of its perceived privacy. And what this report proves is that Snapchat users potentially have none. Though the company would rather that you didn’t think about that based on this statement:
A Snap spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement “Protecting privacy is paramount at Snap. We keep very little user data, and we have robust policies and controls to limit internal access to the data we do have. Unauthorized access of any kind is a clear violation of the company’s standards of business conduct and, if detected, results in immediate termination.”
Sure. Right. I’m not buying that and neither should you if you use Snapchat. And once again this highlights that companies like Snap need to be reigned in and regulated. Otherwise this sort of thing will simply keep happening.
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This entry was posted on May 24, 2019 at 9:52 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Snapchat. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.