Snapchat Sparks Outrage with New Fees for Storing Your Priceless Memories

Snapchat, the well-known messaging app, has recently announced a new policy that has sparked outrage among its users. The company revealed that people who have more than five gigabytes of photos and videos saved in their Memories will soon have to pay to keep storing them on the app. For many, these Memories are more than just files—they are snapshots of their lives, capturing important events, friendships, and family moments over the years.

The reaction from users has been intense. Social media platforms and app stores have been flooded with negative reviews and comments. Many users feel betrayed, saying that Snapchat is being greedy by charging for something that has always been free. One user wrote, 'Half of my life is on this app and now they expect us to pay for it. ' Another said, '5GB is absolutely nothing when you have years worth of memories. ' Some people are even threatening to delete the app or have already started downloading their memories to their devices before the new rule takes effect.

Snapchat’s parent company, Snap, explained that storing so much data costs money, and compared their new paid plans to those offered by Apple and Google for extra storage on smartphones. They claim that only a small number of users will be affected and that the change is necessary to cover the costs of hosting, backing up, and protecting all the data. However, many users are not convinced. They argue that Snapchat encouraged them to save their memories on the app, and now it feels unfair to suddenly start charging for it.

Some users have started online petitions, calling the new fee a 'memory tax' and describing it as 'dystopian' and 'ridiculous. ' A journalism student in London shared on TikTok that she plans to delete the app and download all her memories, saying, 'Almost all of my teenage years have been documented through my Snapchat memories, all of the photos in there are really important to me. ' Another user said that Snapchat has become a part of her daily life since 2014, and she feels the company does not understand how much the Memories feature means to its users.

Experts in technology and social media say that charging for previously free services is not new, and millions of people already pay for extra storage on platforms like iCloud and Google Drive. Storing data in the cloud is expensive, and companies need to find ways to pay for it. However, some experts believe that Snapchat’s move feels like a 'bait and switch,' since users were encouraged to build large archives of memories without knowing they would have to pay for them later.

For many, these memories are not just files—they are emotional artefacts that hold special meaning. One user wrote in a review that their Snapchat memories include celebrations, mourning loved ones, and all their teenage years. A researcher from Utrecht University said that people trust platforms like Snapchat to keep their personal content safe, but companies are not always reliable guardians of these memories.

As Snapchat rolls out this new policy, users are left to decide whether to pay for extra storage, download their memories, or leave the app altogether. The situation has made many people think about how much they rely on technology to store their most important moments, and whether they can trust companies to keep those memories safe for free.

If you are a Snapchat user with lots of memories saved, it might be a good idea to check your storage and decide what to do before the new fees begin. Your memories are valuable, and it is important to make sure they are protected, whether on Snapchat or somewhere else.