New Apps Present New Challenges – peeking at SnapChat

One of the newest apps that is gaining much popularity is Snapchat.  Within this app, users are able to take a picture, send a text, send a picture from their library etc to another user of the application.  The sender is able to set a timeframe on how long the picture is viewable and then it “vanishes” and the receiver can no longer see the image.  There is also a feature that allows users to create a story using pictures of an event.  Others who are at the same event can also share pictures of the event through the app.  These are viewable for up to 24 hours.  Snapchat also has other features such as Snapcash and a newsfeed.

It is not hard to see some of the challenges this app may create.  People of all ages may use this app (although it does ask for your age to be sure you are over 13, it doesn’t verify this at this time) and it is being seen that the majority of users of this app are young.  The younger crowds may feel that this app gives them a sense of security.  In the past on facebook or myspace, a picture was posted and remained there until you deleted it.  This app, however, seems to delete the pictures within seconds.  So, people do not have to worry as much about who will see their pictures (parents, employers, schools etc.) as they believe it is gone shortly after it is shown or “snapped”.  This gives people the idea that they can show pictures that they wouldn’t normally share, such as nudity or questionable behavior without the same type of fear of repercussions.  Unfortunately, however, this removes a few, of the few, safety precautions that are in place for young people now days with respect to harmful online behavior.

Some things to consider: a person who receives a snap can save that image on their phone before it vanishes from snapchat.  They can also take a picture of the screen with another device.  If an image is posted to the story feature, the snaps are archived.  There are also third parties releasing apps to save snaps.  Therefore, even if the picture is gone from the snapchat app, it may still remain on the receivers device.

As you can imagine, this app poses some unique challenges when the data is needed for cases.  There are currently a few methods of obtaining some snapchat information, but it is a not always the same type of data collection methods used in the past.  As technology changes, investigation methods must change.  It is an ongoing challenge to keep up to date with new technology and how people are using it.

References gathered from sources such as Police Technical