Snapchat is a free mobile instant messaging app used to share texts, images and videos. Its special feature is that the message can be viewed for 10 seconds maximum, after which it is destroyed. 

Basic options and special features

Snapchat has a simple interface design with basic options that allow its users to take pictures or shoot a video and make additional editing by applying different special visual and sound effects or drawings. It also allows writing text messages over pictures or video files. 

The attractiveness of this app is its concept of message destruction after it has been read. It also has a gaming element called “snapstreak”: when you text someone in 24 hours for three consecutive days, you get a flared emoji. And if you want to visit other people’s Snaps, there’s a Live Story screen. 

More about special features

Snapchat is very easy to use. You take a photo or upload it from your phone, add a sound or visual effect or draw a picture with the drawing toolbar. Then, set the timer for the recipient to see, and send it to anyone on your phone contact list. You can also send it to people around you using a location sharing tool.

There is an option of setting the time of exposure of the message, which cannot be more than 10 seconds. You also have the option of uploading photos to the app from your phone library or creating a Snapshot Story line with your messages, which remain available in the app for 24 hours.

One of the major attractions of Snapchat is its multiple special visual and video effect extension that allows you to change your appearance, overpose your face with a picture from your phone or swap your face with a friend’s in the photo. You can also change your voice or incorporate sounds to the video. 

Safety

Snapchat was created in 2011, and since then, it has been majorly improved by its developer, especially after a cyberattack in 2013 when personal data of over 4.6 mln of its users was exposed on the Internet. 

Yet in 2014, U.S. Federal Trade commission sued Snapchat for misrepresenting its data use and security policy, claiming the app deceived its users about their data use and collection. After that, the app developers consistently improved its security measures.