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Snapchat has said it will start charging users to store photos and videos in its Memories feature, provoking backlash from people who have built large archives. Introduced in 2016, Memories has let users save previously posted content, but the company now says anyone with more than 5GB of Memories will need to pay to keep them accessible.
The app's parent company Snap declined to say how much the storage plans would cost UK users, saying only the change would be made as part of a "gradual global rollout".
Users on social media have reacted with dismay, accusing the company of being greedy.
Snap has acknowledged it's "never easy to transition from receiving a service for free to paying for it" - but suggested it be "worth the cost" for users.
"These changes will allow us to continue to invest in making Memories better for our entire community," it said in a blog post announcing the move.
It said more than one trillion Memories had been saved by users since being introduced nearly a decade ago. The feature allows users to save photos and videos shared initially for 24 hours or less on the platform, with users prompted to re-post them as a memory or "throwback" at a later date.
Users with more than 5GB of saved Memories will be prompted to upgrade to a 100GB storage plan, under the changes. Increased levels of storage will be available to users paying for more expensive Snapchat+ and Snapchat Premium subscriptions.
The company says it will provide 12 months of temporary storage for those exceeding the limit, and users can download saved content to their device.
Snap said in its blog post that its rollout of storage plans would not affect "the vast majority of Snapchatters", whom it said had less than 5GB of Memories.
But the move has been criticised by some on social media, with users sharing messages sent by the platform telling them they need to pay for storage to keep their photos and videos.
