Snapchat says its servers are hacked
Once the leak came to light, Snapchat investigation and found that its servers were not hacked. Instead, the source for pictures seems to have a third party application that allows users to save photos and videos they receive after the 10 second timeout. How Snapchat works is that users can send a photo or video to another person, but it comes with a time limit. Once this limit is the image "disappears." If a recipient takes a screenshot, the application informs the sender. Unfortunately, third party applications such as the one in question allow recipients save photos without the knowledge of the sender.
What can I do for myself or my teenage protect?
Unfortunately, the pictures were stolen and published are there. It is scary to think about your private photos from falling into the wrong hands, but that is the sad reality of social media. However, there are some steps you can take to protect you or your child when you use Snapchat and other photo sharing applications like her.
1. Think before you send (or take) a photo. The attraction of Snapchat, especially for teenagers, is the concept of pictures "disappear" in 10 seconds or less after the recipient opens the snap. This is in contrast to other photo sharing apps like Instagram, who post photos to your profile to the audience or your friends list to see. Unfortunately, not only has Snapchat got in hot water recently on photo storage on its servers and provides access to the application of the law, but you can not guarantee that the recipient did not save the picture. It is nice to think that people are honest, but when it comes to your privacy, it is better to be safe than sorry. Keep a mindset that every photo you share is there for anyone to see potentially. If you are a parent, talk to your children about the importance of responsible use of social media, including on their phones. It is also important to communicate with them that the best way to guarantee explicit photos are not disclosed is not to take them. This advice also applies to anyone using these applications.
2. Consider using parental control software. This photo leak is particularly worrisome for parents because over 50% of Snapchat users are between the ages of 13 and 17 - which means there is a good chance that many leaked photos are minor. Parents of teens know that you can talk to your kids all you want, but sometimes they will engage in risky behavior anyway. One way you can ensure you are aware of what your child gets up to online and on the phone is to use parental control software. While these programs, unfortunately, are not currently the ability to monitor Snapchat, you can use them to monitor the activity of your child and even block applications or some phone numbers.
3. Do not download or use third-party applications. For almost all popular social media apps available, dozens of "third party" applications have been created to modify or improve the user experience. It might be tempting to use these applications if they fulfill a function that you want to have, like the ability to save photos or videos that might otherwise disappear, but these applications can be dangerous. SnapSave, which is considered the source of the leaked photos, not on the app store Google Play. It is recommended not to download applications that you can not find on Google Play or Apple app stores because they pose a risk to your safety. The use of these applications is a violation of the terms and conditions of use Snapchat, and it is for good reason, as many people are discovering the hard way.