Snap Advertiser Privacy and Security FAQs
This FAQ is designed to provide you with useful information you may need to assess your obligations under applicable privacy, safety, and security laws. If you have signed an NDA with Snap, please reach out to your Snapchat account representative.
Overview of Snap’s Ad Services
An overview of the Snap ads services can be found here and here.
Some of Snap’s advertising tools allow advertisers to provide Snap with data about their customers to improve their advertising campaigns. Learn more here:
Personal data and data subjects
How can advertisers share personal data with Snap?
Snap’s Customer List Audience product and Conversion program (including Snap Pixel, and Conversions API) are designed to help advertisers to optimize and monitor performance of their ad campaigns.
Customer List Audience allows you to upload lists of your customers (“Customer List Data”) to Snap via Ads Manager. More information can be found here. Snap Pixel allows you to add a piece of JavaScript to your web pages to send data to us when your pages are accessed by visitors, click here for more details. Conversions API allows you to pass web, app and offline events (“Event Data”) directly to Snap via Server-to-Server integration, as detailed here.
What personal data will be sent to Snap?
Our documentation for each product describes what personal data will be sent to Snap. In general, you choose when and how much data to provide, so the personal data Snap collects depend on how you configure our service. Examples of data advertisers may send include (hashed) email addresses, (hashed) phone numbers and/or device identifiers, IP addresses, cookie IDs, metadata, and browser/app information. Regarding Customer List Audiences, see the Custom Audiences and Customer List Audiences sections of our Business Help Center. For more information on the personal data that could be captured when using the Snap Pixel and Conversion API services, see here:
Are Snapchatters able to opt out of Audience-Based and Activity-Based Ads?
Yes. Snapchatters may opt out of Audience-Based and Activity-Based Ads through the Settings in Snapchat. For more information, see our Advertising Preferences support page. Snap does not offer the ability to opt out of ad targeting based on user activity within Snapchat, except as explained in our Snap and European Laws FAQ.
Can advertisers send Snap personal data of children or other vulnerable people?
You are prohibited from using Snapchat Ads to provide Snap with:
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Any information from an online service directed to children or about individuals you have actual knowledge are under the age of 13 (or the minimum age at which the processing of personal data of a data subject is lawful if greater than the age of 13); or
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any sensitive information or special category data, as each term is defined under applicable law, including any information that is based on or includes: (i) an alleged or actual commission of a crime; (ii) medical or health information; or (iii) information about users’ financial status, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs or preferences, sex life or sexual preferences, or trade union membership.
Refer to our Personal Data Terms for more information.
Can advertiser customers exercise their privacy rights?
If a customer contacts you, you can request that we delete the customer’s personal data via this form.
In addition, Snap allows Snapchatters to exercise their rights to access their data, to know what information we collect about them, to correct their information, and to delete it. Snap’s own privacy practices and controls we provide to Snapchatters are explained in our privacy policy and below. For example, Snap offers Snapchatters an online portal to download their personal data.
Terms and Conditions
What contracts and data processing agreements are in place for Snap’s advertising services?
Snap’s Personal Data Terms govern the provision or receipt (as applicable) of personal data via Business Services. You should also read the applicable product terms, for example our Customer List Audiences terms and Conversion terms (which cover Snap’s Pixel and Conversions API). If Snap processes personal data on your behalf, our Data Processing Agreement applies. These terms are all part of Snap’s Business Services Terms, which apply to use of our Business Services.
Does Snap involve third parties to process personal data that advertisers provide to Snap?
When providing advertising services, most processing activities are performed by Snap Inc. and its affiliates, but Snap may use subprocessors to handle the customer personal data that you provide to us, such as for hosting and storage purposes. Our subprocessors are bound by the same level of privacy and security that applies to Snap under Snap's Data Processing Agreement. The list of subprocessors for advertiser data can be found at Snap’s Subprocessors section of our Business Help Center. More information on subprocessor compliance can be found at the Snap Ads and European Laws FAQs section below.
Storage of Data
Where will Snap store the personal data you send to Snap?
Your personal data may be stored in countries outside of the country from which your data originates, including in countries not deemed “adequate” by the European Commission, and including on servers located in the U.S. Refer to the Snap Ads and European Laws FAQ section of our Business Help Center for more information on transfers and the GDPR.
Security
This section summarizes some of Snap’s security measures. If you have signed an NDA with Snap, please reach out to your Snapchat account representative. If you are unable to access our profile, you can reach out to our team via this form.
How does Snap secure personal data?
Snap has implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure advertiser data is properly protected. Snap has implemented measures like transport encryption and encryption during storage on the server (decryption for purposes of providing the service/provision of services). Advertiser data provided to Snap may be hashed (SHA-256).
Does Snap restrict access to personal data?
Yes. Access to personal data is controlled by technical access controls and policies. All Snap employees are subject to further confidentiality obligations.
Who will have access to the personal data?
Only Snap personnel with a legitimate business need may access personal data you provide to Snap. These personnel attend mandatory privacy training, and their access is logged.
Does Snap have a process for notifying third parties of security incidents affecting their personal data?
Snap has detailed security incident response policies and procedures in place. Each incident will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and Snap will take appropriate actions depending on the outcome of this analysis. Please feel free to provide Snap with a dedicated channel to contact in the event of a security incident.
Data retention, deletion and returning personal data
How can I request data be deleted?
If you receive a deletion, opt-out or Do Not Sell request from a consumer for data collected through Snap Pixel and Conversion API and you are a managed service client, please contact your Snapchat Sales representative who may assist you with data deletion requests. For all other clients, please reach out to Snap here and submit a request for Snap to delete the consumer’s personal information. Advertisers can delete Custom List Audiences at any time as explained here: Edit a Customer List Audience.
How long does Snap retain advertiser data?
Matched Pixel and Conversion API data may be stored for up to 13 months. This enables you to compare seasonal data (i.e. comparing this year’s winter activity with last year’s winter activity). Unmatched data is deleted within 30 days.
Matched Custom customer data uploaded to Custom List Audiences will be retained as explained here: How Long are Custom Audiences Retained?. The audiences can be deleted by the advertiser at any time as explained here: Edit a Customer List Audience. Snap will delete unmatched advertiser customer data uploaded to Customer List Audiences after 30 days. Please see Custom Audiences Overview and Pixel FAQ.
If you receive a deletion, opt-out or Do Not Sell request from a consumer for data collected through Snap Pixel and Conversion API and you are a managed service client, please contact your Snapchat Sales representative who may assist you with data deletion requests. For all other clients, please reach out to Snap here and submit a request for Snap to delete the consumer’s personal information. Advertisers can delete Custom List Audiences at any time as explained here: Edit a Customer List Audience.
How long does Snapchat retain lead generation data collected through its native lead forms?
Snapchat retains lead generation data collected via its native lead forms for 90 days. During this period, advertisers can access and download their leads. After 90 days, the lead data is no longer available for download. Advertisers are encouraged to download and securely store their leads within this timeframe to ensure ongoing access.
Who can you contact for privacy and security requests?
Snap has a dedicated team to handle business inquiries. You can contact the team here.
