Key points

Loss aversion can make us feel losing memories twice as intensely as gaining equivalent value.

Platforms may give years of free storage to create dependency, then charge when switching costs are highest.

Economic coercion operates through systems that exploit cognitive vulnerabilities for profit.

Snapchat gave you nine years to fill their servers with your memories. Now they're charging you to keep them.

In September 2025, Snapchat announced it would end free storage for "Memories", the feature where users have saved more than one trillion photos and videos since 2016. Users who exceed 5GB now face a choice. Will you pay for storage plans, or watch your memories disappear after a 12-month grace period?

The company framed this as sustainability, not monetization. But behav

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