Snapchat is ready to introduce allegations for users who want to continue to store their old photos and videos, a step that has criticized a part of its global user base. The popular “memories” features of the messaging app, which initially allows users to save photos and videos shared for 24 hours or less, have been freed since launch in 2016. However, under the new policy, users with five gigabytes (GB) of saved materials will need to be paid to maintain access.

The change in a blog post by Snapchat’s original company SNAP is part of the “gradual global rollout”. While the firm did not disclose pricing for all fields, a spokesperson told Tech Publication Techchchan that the initial 100GB storage plan would cost $ 1.99 per month, while 250GB would be included in $ 3.99 Snapchat+ subscription. SNAP assured that there will be a 12 -month temporary storage in users with more than the 5GB limit and the option to download their saved materials.

Since its launch almost a decade ago, Snapchat users have saved more than one trillion memories. This feature allows the material to be basically disappeared in 24 hours, which can later be seen again as “throbac” or memory. Users who want to maintain large archives will now be motivated to upgrade to the storage plan paid, including Snapchat premium subscriptions that offer high capacity.

The move has faced backlash on social media, some users described it as “greedy” and “inappropriate”. Many people who have rely on free storage for years, now face adequate costs to keep their digital archives. The SNAP accepted the challenge of infection in a paid model from a free service, saying, “It is not easy to make a service for free to pay for it,” but it was emphasized that the change would allow the convenience of memories to the broader community and allow investment.

Industry experts suggest that charging for storage on social media can become a common practice in future. “The way for storage on social media is unavoidable on social media,” Social Media Consultancy Battenhall founder and CEO Drey Benvi told BBC News. In an era where we post less, but save more, it is the development of messaging and social media platforms. “

Snapchat currently claims more than 900 million monthly active users, while competitors such as Instagram and Ticketkok report user bases in Arabs. SNAP has noted that most users (with less memories than 5GB) will not be affected immediately by storage fee.