Multimedia instant messaging apps enable people to share pictures and videos with their social networks around the globe. Some multimedia instant messaging apps incorporate a feature that enables users to share content that self-destructs after a short period of time, making it inaccessible to recipients after this period. 

Self-destructing messages have afforded criminals an opportunity to advertise illicit goods for sale, like drugs and weapons, in a way that limits detection by law enforcement agencies. Billions of multimedia messages are sent via these services each day, with many available for public consumption.