Snapchat is not collecting all of your photos and videos, according to Snapchat.
The media company updated its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service last week as part of an app update, and users evidently became concerned that Snapchat was now collecting private photo and messaging data. This belief was apparently widespread enough that Snapchat took to its blog on Sunday night to remind its user base that the ephemeral messages they all send are actually, well, ephemeral.
“First off, we want to be crystal clear: The Snaps and Chats you send your friends remain as private today as they were before the update,” the company wrote on its blog. “Policy continues to say — as it did before — that those messages ‘are automatically deleted from our servers once we detect that they have been viewed or have expired.'”
https://twitter.com/Snapchat/status/661017381288833024
There are, though, certain instances where photos and videos do remain on the servers. “We may also retain certain information in backup for a limited period of time or as required by law,” according to the company’s Privacy Policy. But this isn’t new.
What is new, and actually kind of interesting, is that Snapchat added some language around in-app purchases saying that you can pay to “replay” a friend’s snaps. In that vein, Snapchat added that is has “some other cool products and services we’re looking forward to bringing to you soon.” That is, other products and services related to in-app purchases.
What those services are, and when they may materialize, is still a mystery. But Snapchat is exploring all kinds of revenue opportunities. In-app purchases would certainly fit that category.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
