Snapchat remains mum on specifics of how it plans to prevent another database breach, but the company has already hired a Washington lobby firm. January 6, 2014 2:21 PM PST Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel, pictured left, at TechCrunch Disrupt. (Credit: Screenshot by Jennifer Van Grove/CNET) Following the high-profile database hack that revealed the partially-redacted personal data of its users, Snapchat has hired a political lobbying firm. Snapchat has hired Heather Podesta and Partners, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm, to promote policies favorable to the company on Capitol Hill, according to disclosure forms filed on January 1. It is the first lobbying firm that Snapchat has hired. Related stories: Apology agonistes? Don't blame Snapchat -- blame yourselves Understanding Snapchat: Why nothing is everything Overexposed: Snapchat user info from 4.6M accounts 5 things to expect in social in 2014 Does Missouri topless mom case prove Snapchat is pointless? Lobbyists from the firm working for Snapchat include Heather Podesta, an experienced lobbyist and former Hill staffer; former Judiciary Committee lawyer and US Attorney Eric Rosen; and Benjamin Klein, also a former Hill staff member. Podesta's firm will focus on digital and online protection issues, and "educating policymakers regarding the application's operation and practice," reported political blog The Hill. Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel said of the database hack on Twitter that he blames the hackers, and not measures that Snapchat had taken to prevent breaches. "We thought we had done enough to prevent abuse -- tough balance between helping people find friends and securing the service," he wrote on Jan. 3. It's not clear at this time whether Podesta's firm was hired in response to the breach, or coincidentally paperwork was filed just after it happened. A request for comment was not returned by Snapchat. CNET will update the story when we hear back from the company.
Snapchat remains mum on specifics of how it plans to prevent another database breach, but the company has already hired a Washington lobby firm.
Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel, pictured left, at TechCrunch Disrupt.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jennifer Van Grove/CNET)
Following the high-profile database hack that revealed the partially-redacted personal data of its users, Snapchat has hired a political lobbying firm.
Snapchat has hired Heather Podesta and Partners, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm, to promote policies favorable to the company on Capitol Hill, according to disclosure forms filed on January 1. It is the first lobbying firm that Snapchat has hired.
Related stories:
- Apology agonistes? Don't blame Snapchat -- blame yourselves
- Understanding Snapchat: Why nothing is everything
- Overexposed: Snapchat user info from 4.6M accounts
- 5 things to expect in social in 2014
- Does Missouri topless mom case prove Snapchat is pointless?
Lobbyists from the firm working for Snapchat include Heather Podesta, an experienced lobbyist and former Hill staffer; former Judiciary Committee lawyer and US Attorney Eric Rosen; and Benjamin Klein, also a former Hill staff member.
Podesta's firm will focus on digital and online protection issues, and "educating policymakers regarding the application's operation and practice," reported political blog The Hill.
Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel said of the database hack on Twitter that he blames the hackers, and not measures that Snapchat had taken to prevent breaches.
"We thought we had done enough to prevent abuse -- tough balance between helping people find friends and securing the service," he wrote on Jan. 3.
It's not clear at this time whether Podesta's firm was hired in response to the breach, or coincidentally paperwork was filed just after it happened. A request for comment was not returned by Snapchat. CNET will update the story when we hear back from the company.
