If you go a long time without using your Snapchat, is it at risk of being closed?
Many social media platforms implement a policy of deleting accounts that are no longer in use, freeing things up for new people.
But is Snapchat one of those companies that closes inactive accounts, or will your old account stay around forever?
In this article, we’ll cover everything that you need to know.
Does Snapchat Delete Inactive Accounts?
At this time, Snapchat does not delete inactive accounts, even if they are no longer being used.
Therefore, one could assume that your Snapchat will remain open indefinitely, unless you decide to close it yourself.
However, just because a Snapchat account remains open in spite of inactivity, does not mean it may be closed in the future.
While Snapchat’s current policy isn’t to delete inactive accounts, who is to say that this policy will remain in place forever? What if Snapchat were to change their minds?
Freeing Up Usernames
In the past, social media companies (and other large services) have come under pressure to delete inactive accounts, primarily due to the need to free up usernames.
As more and more people sign up for Snapchat accounts, the availability of desired usernames becomes more and more limited.
Snapchat currently has over half a billion active users, and many more accounts that have been registered in total.
This means that for a new person signing up, there’s a good chance the username they want is already taken – perhaps by an account that isn’t even active!
Therefore, Snapchat may take some action to free up usernames in the future.
Note however that this doesn’t necessarily have to be deleting the account entirely. In the past, I have seen services free up people’s username, but still leaving their account active – instead, prompting them to pick a new username if they were ever to log back in.
I’m hoping this is the route Snapchat would take – releasing usernames from inactive accounts, but still keeping the accounts open if the owners ever return to them.
It seems like a win-win for everyone involved!
Hackers And Account Security
Currently, there are only two ways that Snapchat accounts get deleted.
Either you specifically request that they delete your account, or your Snapchat account gets closed for breaking Snapchat’s Terms of Service.
Both seem impossible if the account is inactive, right? Well, maybe not.
We’ve heard stories of inactive accounts getting hacked, usually due to reusing passwords on other websites.
If a different website you use gets hacked and you use the same password on Snapchat, it is trivial for hackers to simply try it out and log into your Snapchat account.
Since you wouldn’t actively be using your account, you may have no idea that its been compromised.
In the meantime, hacked accounts are commonly used for spamming and scamming purposes, both of which are against Snapchat’s rules.
Before long, your account has been reported and closed – due to no fault of your own.
Kind of worrisome, right?
Therefore, if you plan on leaving your Snapchat account dormant for a while, the best thing to do would be to download all of the data that’s important to you (including any Snapchat memories), and turn on two-factor authentication for your account.
Two-factor authentication can be enabled in your account’s settings, and can be sent via SMS or using an authenticator app. If you opt to have codes sent by text message, make sure you have your most current phone number tied to your account before going inactive!
Conclusion
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem that Snapchat has any sort of automated process for deleting accounts.
However, there’s always a risk that your account could be taken over without you realizing it, if you leave it inactive for too long. It’s also possible that Snapchat may change their policy to free up inactive usernames in the future.
Therefore, you should take the appropriate steps now (such as downloading your data and enabling two-step authentication) if you plan on leaving your account inactive for a while.
Have any questions about Snapchat? Feel free to ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister