Provision record
Snapchat · Snapchat Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Inferences and Behavioral Profiling

Medium severity Medium confidence Explicit document language Common · 289 of 352 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Snapchat builds a profile of your interests and characteristics based on how you use the app and data from advertising partners, which is then used to personalize your feed and target you with ads.

This analysis describes what Snapchat's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

Behavioral profiling using both first-party usage data and third-party advertising partner data can create inferences about sensitive attributes such as health, political views, or finances, even when that data was not directly provided by the user.

Interpretive note: The specific third-party data sources contributing to inferences and the categories of inferences generated are not fully enumerated in the policy, creating some uncertainty about the practical scope of the profiling described.

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
5
Months Monitored
May 10, 2026
First Seen
May 22, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 5149 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Snap combines your in-app behavior with data from advertising partners to infer personal characteristics about you; these inferences may include sensitive attributes and are used to target advertising in ways that may not be transparent to you.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Opt Out of Arbitration
    Open Snapchat, go to Settings, select Ads, and review Ad Preferences to limit interest-based and audience-based advertising. California residents can use the 'Do Not Sell or Share' option in the same section.

How other platforms handle this

Square Medium

to object to profiling activities based on our own legitimate interests

ZipRecruiter Medium

you may also have the right to: (i) opt out of processing of Personal Data for purposes of profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects...and (iii) appeal any decision by ZipRecruiter...

Tinder Medium

If you choose to reveal any personal information about yourself to other users, you do so at your own risk. We strongly encourage you to use caution in disclosing any personal information online.

See all platforms with this clause type →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
We use the information we collect to infer your interests, preferences, and other characteristics about you. This includes inferences drawn from your use of our services, the content you view, and information provided by advertising partners. We use these inferences to personalize your experience and show you relevant content and advertising.

Excerpt from Snapchat's Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (regulatory & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: GDPR's Article 22 addresses automated decision-making and profiling, requiring transparency and, in some cases, the right not to be subject to solely automated decisions with significant effects.

Insight

Unlock the full institutional analysis

Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.

Applicable agencies

  • Federal Trade Commission (ftc)
    Oversees unfair or deceptive business practices and can investigate companies that mislead consumers about data collection, sharing, or use.
    Who can file: Anyone affected by the company's practices (US or international)
    What you need: Your account details, a timeline of relevant events, and a description of the specific issue
    What to expect: Complaints inform FTC enforcement priorities and investigations but do not result in individual resolution or compensation
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

EU AI Act
European Union
BIPA
Illinois, USA
CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
COPPA
United States Federal
Colorado AI Act
US-CO
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
UK GDPR
United Kingdom
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US
VPPA
United States Federal

Provision details

Document information
Document
Snapchat Privacy Policy
Entity
Snapchat
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 10, 2026
Last verified
May 10, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-009100
Document ID
CA-D-00102
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
a616132c9be52e54b3ade183f71c87a884292fe0724d7a8941dbf2a56761b5a4
Analysis generated
May 10, 2026 14:35 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Snapchat
Document: Snapchat Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-009100
Captured: 2026-05-10 14:35:50 UTC
SHA-256: a616132c9be52e54…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/snapchat/snapchat-privacy-policy/provision/CA-P-009100/inferences-and-behavioral-profiling/
Accessed: Sept. 8, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Snapchat's Inferences and Behavioral Profiling clause do?

Behavioral profiling using both first-party usage data and third-party advertising partner data can create inferences about sensitive attributes such as health, political views, or finances, even when that data was not directly provided by the user.

How does this clause affect you?

Snap combines your in-app behavior with data from advertising partners to infer personal characteristics about you; these inferences may include sensitive attributes and are used to target advertising in ways that may not be transparent to you.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 289 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Snapchat?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Snapchat.