Snapchat has finally responded to arguably the biggest scandal of the holiday season: the leak of 4.6 million phone numbers and Snapchat user contact information. The white-hat hackers who exploited the lax security claimed that they were releasing the information in the hopes that Snapchat would, finally, fix the security exploit that has been a problem since August. In a somewhat embarrassing response to the original exploit, Snapchat responded publicly saying that, yes, user information was insecure. Evidently they did nothing to fix the problem, as several months later these hackers utilized that original method to hack into Snapchat’s user database. Now, Snapchat has responded saying that they’re releasing an update to the app that allows users to opt out of the Find Friends feature, the focus of the exploit. Is it too little too late, however? Will people trust their private data to Snapchat? As the backlash continues, it becomes more apparent that privacy is a tenuous issue, even for an app that is supposed to pride itself on the protection of its data.
Tag: snapchat
Brands Tackle Snapchat’s Discovery Problem
Snapchat is more brand-friendly than many assume. While content is made available for 24 hours at best through Snapchat Stories and there are no paid reach opportunities, the limited nature of the platform fosters exclusive. The 1:1 messaging creates an unparalleled intimacy as users feel like they are receiving a private message, unlike a Facebook status which could be seen by the world.
The main issue will be discovery given the rudimentary search functionality. Some brands have become very savvy about leveraging Snapchat exclusives to grow a user base and doing so through other media platforms. Take Acura, for example, which introduced its NSX prototype in a 6 second video to the first 100 people who added them or 16 Handles which uses the service to deliver exclusive coupon offers.
Snapchat Gets More Daily Photos Than Facebook
According to CEO Evan Spiegel, Snapchat now shares 400 million snaps every day, up from 200 million just this June. The 400 million mark surpasses the photo-sharing activity on Facebook and Instagram, who see 350 million and 50 million photos uploaded per day, respectively. It’s unclear how many of the increased photos on Snapchat are privately shared photos, as opposed to the new “broadcast” snaps. Nonetheless, these impressive numbers bode well for Snapchat’s upcoming round of funding, and the company’s prospects for brands and marketers in the future.
NowThis SnapChats The News
When NowThis News broke into the Instagram market, it was both unexpected and simultaneously successful. The company is now moving into a new frontier: Snapchat. Specifically, Snapchat Stories. NowNews is leveraging the 24hr long photo-documenting service to do real journalism. For instance, NowThis is already planning a Snapchat Story that documents the life of a Congressman during the government shutdown, and it would feature a variety of different angles, photos, and insights that traditional media don’t see. As well, they’re using the Stories feature to make a photo-collage of Banksy’s visible NYC exhibit, playing into the ephemeral nature of street art. They’ve acquired roving video journalists to contribute to the stories, to build them out into viably vibrant pieces. It might not necessarily revolutionize journalism, but it’s a nonetheless fascinating application of Snapchat Stories; we’re looking forward to more innovative uses of the new technology.
Taco Bell Already Using Snapchat Stories
When Snapchat stories launched, nobody was really sure how exactly it would be used by Snapchat users, let alone by brands. But early adopter Taco Bell, who immediately took to Snapchat when it first launched, is already playing with the “newsfeed” of ephemeral images. Essentially, they’re banking on the fact that their consumers love to share experiences of eating Taco Bell – as well as the circumstances of going to the chain – and created a Story that modeled that experience, so as to connect with the followers on a deeper level. As well, Taco Bell is looking to use the medium to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at the company and its restaurants. The metrics of this methodology are certainly novel, and are far from defined; nonetheless, the chain is going ahead with the strategy, making them the first of their kind. It’s unclear if there is a direct ROI at this point, but at the very least the brand is doing something different, and making waves in the process.
Snapchat’s next big thing: ‘Stories’ that don’t just disappear
This product being rolled out by Snapchat, entitled “Stories”, could be a really big deal. It’s a fairly clever solve for the grey area between content that lives forever and content and exists for only 5 seconds. It blends the autobiographical vanity of Facebook with the spontaneity of the wildly popular Snapchat.
To summarize, you can Snapchat an image to “My Story” rather than a particular contact. When you do this, it gets added to an ongoing reel of the last 24 hours of your personal highlights. In your contacts view, next to a friend who has a “story”, you can tap to view their last 24 hours of Snapchats they have curated to tell their story.
Rebecca Minkoff Debuts Collection On Snapchat
Snapchat, having been used for a few different brand campaigns, finds a new partner in Rebecca Minkoff. For Minkoff’s NY Fashion Week show at Lincoln Center on Friday Afternoon, snapchat will be used to debut five to ten new looks minutes before they hit the runway. Minkoff is using Twitter to acquire Snapchat friends to individually send pictures out one by one to its friends on the photo sharing app. The fashion company isn’t hoping to give its users a proper preview – as 10 seconds isnt’ exactly long enough to get a good look at any one piece – but is rather hoping to make use of the novelty factor of the medium, much like Taco Bell and 16 Handles. Whether this is another successful branding campaign remains to be seen, but what’s clear is that the photo sharing application is proving more versatile than initially imagined.
MTV Promotes Upcoming Show On Snapchat
Brands and Snapchat don’t go hand in hand, but that’s not stopping racier companies from joining in. The latest to jump onboard is MTV who is using the temporary messaging platform to release “Hangover-style” photos and videos promoting their upcoming show, Geordie Shore. With 200 million messages sent per day, Snapchat could be a cheeky way of distributing content among a younger audience.
Burn Note’s Self-Destructing Messages
Mobile app, Burn Note lets users discreetly share messages that self-destruct after a selected period of time. In a world of privacy concerns, Burn Note’s communication is increasingly in-demand whether sharing passwords or secrets.
Facebook Tests “Self-Destructible” Messages
Have you ever wanted to send lewd pics on Facebook, but worry about them getting into the wrong hands? Now your fears may be over as Facebook has begun testing a messaging app that supports impermanent photo sharing. Similar to popular mobile app, Snapchat, the photo messages will automatically delete in a matter of seconds. Facebook’s latest experiment represents a move toward more intimate one-to-one communications that’s definitely got our attention.
