Does Snapchat Own the Photos That I Post?

One of the main selling points of the Snapchat app is the transience of your posted pictures and videos. In other words, they are deleted as soon as someone else views them. They are thus little Snaps in time, here today and gone tomorrow – or are they?

Snapchat claims that they delete the photos, but are they stored somewhere else? More importantly, does Snapchat own and save your posted photos? If they do, it would give them copyright over all your content, which some users might see as a deal-breaker.

Snapchat Doesn’t Own Your Media

Let’s start off with the answer to the most pressing question. No, Snapchat doesn’t own any of the photos, videos, or messages you post using their app.

When the famous app updated their privacy policy in 2015, that’s when rumors started to fly. Everything from “Snapchat saves your photos” to “they can do whatever they want with your content” created buzz around the internet.

Since then, however, Snapchat has come out to say that those rumors simply are not true. So the good news is that your stories are still yours. What’s more, they’re still personal and semi-private.

Why semi-private? Because Snapchat policies state that they reserve the right to use Live Stories, including replaying them or syndicating them. But you already knew that because they asked for permission in their previous privacy policy.

What Are Live Stories?

If you are new to Snapchat, you may be wondering what Live Stories are and how to use them.

Snapchat Live Stories are Snaps posted by users attending a particular event or visiting specific locations. These live stories provide a specific snapshot of a person’s life through pictures and videos. Unlike your personal Story timelines, this content is submitted and selected by Snapchat staffers.

Think of them as the directors and you as the head of programming who has the ultimate say. They pick and choose what is suitable to post as Live Stories. Other users can then click on these updates from (presumably) strangers’ lives and see a glimpse. It’s like reality TV the way it was meant to be.

The content may vary when it comes to Live Stories and the posts are strictly at the discretion of the Snapchat staff. As such, they are dependent on the whims of Snapchat.

While some people may enjoy posting their Live Stories to this public forum, this is where the Privacy Policy gets a little sticky. Because you are submitting your images/videos to staffers to review and post to the public, they can choose to replay or syndicate your stories around the world.

How to Watch Live Stories

Watching Live Stories is simple. Follow the steps below to check them out:

Step 1 – Access Snapchat

First, you need to open the Snapchat app. Simply tap on the icon from your home screen to open the application.

Step 2 – Access Live Stories

Next, from your Snapchat home screen, swipe left. This will give you access to Live Stories, Stories, and the Discover function. If there are any Live Stories to view, you may see them here.

Lastly, to watch Live Stories, simply tap on one to view it.

Sometimes a feature called Story Explorer is accessible from particular Live Stories. Using it may yield more information, highlights, or views for this particular event or location. Swipe up on the Live Story to access Story Explorer.

How to Contribute to Live Stories

Contributing your own Snaps really depends on being in the right place at the right time. If you believe you’re at an event that Snapchat would be interested in, like a sporting event or momentous political event, you can submit your Snap to “Live Stories”.

If it is a qualifying event, you may receive a notification asking if you accept that Snapchat becomes the curator of your Snap and that the Snap in question can be viewed by everyone. This doesn’t automatically guarantee that your Snap will be featured. However, it does let you know that your Snap basically becomes Snapchat property by submitting it.

Final Thought

Snapchat has since revised the wording of that updated Privacy Policy that had everyone in an uproar. It no longer states that they can hold any image you upload as their own. However, that’s still not the case with Live Stories.

So if you aren’t prepared for the world to see you at an event, maybe you should think twice about submitting that Snap to Snapchat. After all, you did call in sick that day. Does your boss really need proof that you lied to attend a football game instead?