I never assumed the purpose of snapchat was provide bullet-proof self-destructing images, in the same way that I wouldn't assume the purpose of a lock on a diar

I never assumed the purpose of snapchat was provide bullet-proof self-destructing images, in the same way that I wouldn't assume the purpose of a lock on a diary or medicine cabinet was to provide bullet-proof physical security. I assumed the purpose was to shift the expectation of reasonable behavior from "keep for as long as your like" to "let the image expire". If you send someone an image via email or some other platform, it's perfectly reasonable for them to keep the image in their archives forever. If you send someone a snapchat, the expectation of reasonable behavior is to let the image expire and disappear. If one discovered that someone was using clandestine means to keep snapchats sent to them, that person will suffer social repercussions. In other words, snapchat have created a system where it's creepy to keep snaps forever, against the will of the sender. Yes, it's possible, perhaps even trivial. But it's also trivial to rummage through a friend's underwear drawer when visiting their home. The "security" of the underwear drawer is established by trust and social convention. That's how I feel about snapchat. It's an easy way of saying "please don't keep my messages".