Snapchat Faces Backlash Over New Fees for Storing User Memories
Snapchat is facing widespread criticism from users after announcing plans to charge for storing older photos and videos saved on the app – a feature millions have long used for free.
The move, unveiled by parent company Snap in September, will introduce fees for users who exceed five gigabytes of “Memories” storage – the section of the app where people save Snaps and Stories from previous years. The company said only a “small number” of users will be affected, but the backlash online suggests otherwise.
Many users, who have treated the Memories feature as a digital scrapbook of their lives, have slammed the decision as “corporate greed.” One user wrote in a one-star Google Play review, “Half of my life is on this app and now they expect us to pay for it,” while another described the change as “unethical” and “dystopian.”
A petition circulating online has dubbed the new policy a “memory tax,” urging Snap to reconsider. On TikTok, several users have shared videos announcing plans to delete the app entirely, with many saying their teenage years and most sentimental moments are documented on Snapchat.
“It just doesn’t make sense to start charging people for something that’s been free for so many years,” said London-based journalism student Guste Ven, who told the BBC she rushed to download her Memories before the policy takes effect.
Snap defended the move by comparing its new paid plans to cloud storage options offered by Apple and Google. The company said users who don’t wish to pay can download their Memories to their devices.
Industry experts, however, say the backlash reflects a deeper emotional attachment users have formed with their digital archives. “These aren’t just data dumps — they’re emotional artefacts,” said social media consultant Matt Navarra. “Changing the rules after people have built a huge digital archive feels like moving the goalposts.”
Dr. Taylor Annabell, a postdoctoral researcher at Utrecht University, noted that the situation highlights the risks of entrusting personal content to commercial platforms. “These companies benefit from users’ trust and the presumption of endless access,” she said. “But they are not benevolent guardians of personal memory.”
Snapchat has not yet confirmed how much the new storage plans will cost in the UK, saying only that the rollout will happen gradually across global markets.
For now, the company’s attempt to monetize nostalgia has struck a nerve with many of its most loyal users – people who say they stayed on Snapchat precisely because it held their most cherished memories.
