Privacy, Safety, and Policy Hub

Consumer Health Data Privacy Policy

(Limited U.S. Jurisdictions)

Effective: March 31, 2024

As a privacy-centric visual communication platform for free expression, Snap is not in the business of or interested in learning the details about your health. However, certain U.S. states have enacted laws that broadly define “consumer health data” to include data that would typically not be considered health data. We’ve created this notice as a supplement to Snap’s Privacy Policy to address those laws, and this Policy only applies to you if you live in a state with one of these laws (like Washington state, for example). We collect some of this broadly defined consumer health data and we’ll refer to it as “CHD” in this Policy. If you are looking for specific product privacy information — for example, about Chats and Snaps — take a look at our Privacy by Product page. 

We provide you control over your information, see the Control of Your Information Section of our Privacy Policy to learn more.

CHD We Collect

Some of the information that we collect could be considered CHD, like photographs and location. However, we don’t use that information to make inferences about your specific health status.

As described in the Information We Collect section of the Privacy Policy, we collect personal information directly from you, from your interactions with our Services, and from third parties. The data we collect depends on how you interact with us, the Services you use, and the choices you make. Because CHD is defined in these laws very broadly, many of the categories of data we collect are or could be considered CHD. For example:

  • Photographs, videos, and audio may be considered CHD;

  • Precise location information, including where it could reveal your attempt to acquire health services or supplies — like if your location on Snap Map shows that you’re at a hospital; and

  • Information that could identify your attempt to seek health care services or information, like your search history, interaction with our Services and other webpages, certain conversations with My AI, or how you configure your Bitmoji.

How We Use CHD

We use the information we collect to provide you with Services, and where required, we’ll collect your consent to use information for other purposes.

Since CHD is defined so broadly, we do collect and use CHD for the purposes described in the How We Use Information section of the Privacy Policy. Primarily, we collect and use CHD to operate, deliver, and maintain our Services. This may include personalization, ensuring the secure and reliable operation of the Services, troubleshooting, and other essential business operations that support the provision of the Services (such as analyzing our performance and meeting our legal obligations).

We may use CHD for other purposes for which we give you choices and/or obtain your consent as required by law. See the How to Exercise Your Rights section below for more details on the controls and choices you may have.

How We Share CHD

We generally share information when you ask us to do so or as necessary to provide the Services. We also, in rare cases, share information for other reasons. This section provides details about who we share information with and the reasons why.

We may share each of the categories of CHD described above for the purposes described in the How We Share Information section of our Privacy Policy. For example, we share your content with third parties when you tell us to do so, such as when you post a Snap to your Story or Spotlight. And we may disclose data when we believe that doing so is necessary to comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process.

Recipients and Reasons for Sharing

As necessary for the purposes described above, we share CHD with the following categories of third parties:

  • Service providers. Vendors or agents (“processors”) working on our behalf may access CHD for the purposes described above. We maintain a list of categories of service providers here (although not all of those service providers necessarily process data that could be considered CHD).

  • Parties to a corporate transaction. If we were to sell or negotiate to sell our business to a buyer or possible buyer, we may transfer your personal information, which may include CHD, to a successor or affiliate as part of that transaction.

  • With our affiliates. We may share personal information, which may include CHD, with entities within the Snap Inc. family of companies where necessary to provide our Services.

  • Third-Party Apps. Sometimes we provide features that allow you to connect with third-party apps. If you decide to connect your Snapchat account with a third-party app, we will share any additional information you direct us to.

  • Other third parties, like legal, safety, and security partners. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to provide CHD to other third parties, for example, to secure our Service, comply with the law or to protect our rights or those of other users. We will also disclose CHD to law enforcement or other government agencies only when we believe doing so is necessary to comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process.

  • Snapchat. You may use our Services to share certain information with any Snapchat user (whether to all users of the app or selected recipients), such as your pictures, content, or geolocation data, which may be considered CHD.

Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights.

Depending on the state in which you reside, you may have certain rights with respect to CHD. You can request to exercise such rights using the various tools and mechanisms described in the Your Rights section of the U.S. State Privacy Notice. For example, depending on the specific Services you use, you can access and make choices about your data through the self-service tools we offer. You can also obtain a copy of your data, including any CHD, by using Download My Data.

If we obtain your consent for a particular processing purpose, you may withdraw your consent at any time. You may also opt out of location sharing at any time though the settings on your mobile device. 

If your request to exercise a right is denied, you may appeal that decision by contacting us. If your appeal is unsuccessful and you are a Washington State resident, you can raise a concern or lodge a complaint with the Washington Attorney General.