Lawsuit Claims Snapchat CEO Said App Is 'Only For Rich People'
LOS ANGELES (CBS SF) -- Snapchat incurred the wrath of users around the world after a lawsuit claimed its CEO said the app was only for the rich.
The lawsuit quotes CEO Evan Spiegel saying he didn't want to expand its user base "into poor countries like India and Spain."
"This app is only for rich people," he said, according to the lawsuit.
The case was unsealed last week, and has has ignited a firestorm of angry users, hackers and trolls.
The hashtags #UninstallSnapchat and #BoycottSnapchat started trending on Twitter as indignant users in India gave one-star reviews to Snapchat on the iPhone app store to drag down its rating. By Monday, Snapchat had plunged to only one-star.
A group of hackers in India claims it has siphoned the private information of 1.7 Snapchat users and leaked it on the so-called dark web as payback for Spiegel's "arrogance."
The lawsuit was filed last January by former executive Anthony Pompliano, who claims Snapchat fired him after he told senior management the company inflated user metrics ahead of its IPO.
Snap Inc. responded to the allegations in a statement, saying "Snapchat is for everyone! We are grateful for our Snapchat community in India and around the world."