Snapchat scandal: Expert dispels hacking claims after nationwide panic

Amin Raghib, an expert in information technology and digital security, has sparked concern across social media platforms and Moroccan society after alleging that a number of Moroccan women’s phones and Snapchat accounts have been hacked. 

Raghib claimed the “hacking incident” targeted smartphones belonging to Moroccan girls, saying their “indecent” photos and videos are now widely available on the internet. 

However, the shared files are not new. The link containing the explicit pictures has been available online for years now.

Hassan Khrajouj, an expert in digital marketing and information development, told Hespress Ar that there was no breach of the Snapchat application itself. 

Khrajouj said that the widely circulated link contained 10 to 15 digital files labelled “Tele Box,” featuring girls reportedly engaging in behaviour, which they had willingly recorded. 

“Due to content regulations on social media platforms, they resorted to uploading photos captured via Snapchat’s camera to an alternative site for distribution,” said the expert.

Kharjouj stressed the lack of validity to claims regarding hacking and database breaches, as he personally investigated and found that approximately twenty girls willingly shared their photos. 

“if there had been a breach, it would have impacted over a million Snapchat users in Morocco; however, to his knowledge, no such incident occurred,” the expert further added.

Khrajouj underscored the imperative need for digital literacy and cautioning against the exaggeration of issues. 

He advised users of instant messaging apps and social media platforms to prioritise privacy protection to avoid similar incidents. 

The expert cautioned against the use of suspicious apps found on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, often promising financial rewards and gifts, as they are exploited by hackers to access user data and media.

Khrajouj recommended that smartphone owners exclusively download apps from trusted sources such as the Play Store and App Store, citing their stringent data security measures and absence of suspicious applications.