Recode's annual Code Conference is underway in Rancho Palos Verdes, California this week, and on Tuesday Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel took the stage to discuss the ephemeral app's controversial update, Facebook's copying, and the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Specifically, Spiegel is said to have "poured salt on the wound" during his 40-minute interview with Kara Swisher as he called out Facebook and its ongoing struggles with user privacy. Referencing Facebook's decision to copy Snapchat stories in the Facebook app, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp, Spiegel said, "We would really appreciate it if they copied our data protection practices also."

recode evan spiegel

Photo taken by Asa Mathat via Recode

Snapchat is built around the idea that messages and photos that users send on the platform all disappear after a pre-set amount of time, providing some sense of security within the iOS and Android app. Facebook, on the other hand, is "just a bunch of features" -- now including ephemeral stories -- placed within an app without an underlying philosophy of user privacy, Spiegel argued.

Spiegel said Facebook — whose name he repeatedly declined to utter — has failed to sufficiently overhaul its user privacy protections after the Cambridge Analytica scandal exploded earlier this spring.

“Fundamentally, I think the changes have to go beyond window dressing to real changes to the ways that these platforms work,” he said.

Spiegel ultimately said that he thinks Snapchat will survive competitors copying the app, because while other platforms are forcing people to "compete with their friends for 'Likes'", Snapchat is focused on communicating with close friends. So, while Facebook imitates its features, the CEO remained confident that Snapchat's "values are hard to copy."


Snapchat hasn't been without its own data leak scandals, however, and Facebook chief security officer Alex Stamos took to Twitter to point that out. Stamos said that "poor API security" has been a factor that led to mass leaks of compromising user photos. "So no, I don't think copying Snapchat would be a smart move" for Facebook, he finished.

Many companies have voiced their opinions on the Facebook data scandal, including Apple and CEO Tim Cook, who said he "wouldn't be in this situation" when asked what he would do if he was Mark Zuckerberg.

Top Rated Comments

Hastings101 Avatar
93 months ago
Couldn’t find a better source than CNN?
I don't think we really need a peer review journal article just to remember snapchat was hacked
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
93 months ago
Couldn’t find a better source than CNN?
Here are a few more sources on that, since it seems you don't remember the very public event when it happened:

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-25572661
https://www.nbcnews.com/technolog/snapchat-hacked-info-4-6-million-users-reportedly-leaked-2D11833474
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/snapchat-hack-46-million-users-affected-9033983.html
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/01/02/snapchat-hack-exposes-46-million-users
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/technology/snapchat-hack-believed-to-have-hit-4-6-million-users-1.1642170
https://socialnewsdaily.com/22047/snapchat-hack-affects-4-6-million-accounts/snapchat-hack-4-6-million/
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/01/03/snapchat-to-issue-more-secure-app-after-hacking-exposes-millions-user-phone.html
https://venturebeat.com/2014/01/02/snapchat-confirms-leak-of-4-6m-usernames-doesnt-apologize/

If you want to go even further, here's Snapchats own acknowledgement of the incident:

https://www.snap.com/en-US/news/post/finding-friends-with-phone-numbers/
https://www.snap.com/en-US/news/post/find-friends-abuse/

And if you don't believe even Snapchat themselves, you can search Google for 'SnapchatDB' and look at all the usernames and passwords yourself.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
martyjmclean Avatar
93 months ago
They’re both as bad as each other.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
93 months ago
Does he mean like in 2014 when millions of Snapchat accounts were hacked? Maybe he shouldn't be talking trash.

https://www.cnn.com/2014/01/01/tech/social-media/snapchat-hack/index.html
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slimtastic Avatar
93 months ago
They're both pretty bad when it comes to privacy. If you value yours, don't use either.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spyguy10709 Avatar
93 months ago
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...