Snap, the owner of Snapchat, is doing some damage control after it unintentionally shared private Republican, Democrat data.

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

Private Republican, Democrat data shared in Snap snafu

Sep 09, 2022

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor/Investigative Reporter)

Snap, the social media giant that owns Snapchat, is doing some damage control. A Snap snafu allowed Republicans and Democrats to target ads using data intended for their political foes.

According to Axios, political ads on Snapchat are usually based on the information provided by two data brokers: i360 and TargetSmart.

i360 data is supposed to be available only to Republicans. TargetSmart is the Democrat equivalent. But Snap said an oversight allowed non-approved entities access to the data. So, Democrats could see i360’s data, Republicans could peruse TargetSmart’s. Both sides could use their opponents’ information to direct ads at specific individuals on the platform.

Axios reports it doesn’t appear either Republicans or Democrats used the data in any nefarious ways, but Democratic use of the data was much more prolific.

Tags: Society at Large

SNAP, THE SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT THAT OWNS SNAPCHAT, IS DOING SOME DAMAGE CONTROL. A SNAP SNAFU ALLOWED REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TO TARGET ADS USING DATA INTENDED FOR THEIR POLITICAL FOES.

ACCORDING TO AXIOS, POLITICAL ADS ON SNAPCHAT ARE USUALLY BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY TWO DATA BROKERS: i360 AND TARGETSMART.

i360 DATA IS SUPPOSED TO BE AVAILABLE ONLY TO REPUBLICANS. TARGETSMART IS THE DEMOCRAT EQUIVALENT.

BUT SNAP SAYS AN OVERSIGHT ALLOWED NON-APPROVED ENTITIES ACCESS TO THE DATA.

SO, DEMOCRATS COULD SEE I360’S DATA, REPUBLICANS COULD PERUSE TARGESMART’S…AND BOTH SIDES COULD USE THEIR OPPONENTS’ INFORMATION TO DIRECT ADS AT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS ON THE PLATFORM.

AXIOS REPORTS IT DOESN’T APPEAR EITHER REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS USED THE DATA IN ANY NEFARIOUS WAYS—

BUT DEMOCRATIC USE OF THE DATA WAS MUCH MORE PROLIFIC.