SnapChat bans third-party apps, releases first transparency report

3 Apr 2015

Popular ephemeral social network Snapchat has cracked down on third-party services that tap into its data. The company is all grown up, too, having released its first transparency report.

Last year Snapchat endured a very public breach when a third part app Snapsaved found a way to use Snapchat’s private API and 90,000 photos and videos were published online.

Snapchat is also cracking down on users who install third party apps and after a warning will lock the account as part of its drive to fortify its system.

In its transparency report Snapchat revealed that it received 375 requests from law enforcement and other government agencies in the US between November 2014 and February 2015, which affected 666 Snapchat accounts.

Snapchat says it complied with 92pc of these requests.

The company said it received no requests in the form of a National Security Letter.

The company from July will begin publishing its bi-annual Transparency Report which will explore government requests and demands to remove users content as well as requests to take down content for alleged copyright violations.

Outside the US requests for user information came from Ireland (2), the UK (10), Hungary (1), Canada (3), France (9) and Norway (2).

App security image via Shutterstock

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com