MYTH BUSTED: Blocking, being blocked, mutual blocks, or changing usernames DO NOT hide an active account from your Snapchat Data Download

Hey everyone,
There is a huge misconception on this sub that if someone blocks you, if you mutually block each other, or if someone changes their username, they will completely disappear from your Snapchat data download.
I’ve seen this listed as an explanation so many times, so I decided to test it myself using a fake account to see how Snapchat’s database actually handles these scenarios. The myth is officially busted.
Here is exactly what I did and what the data proved:

The Experiment:
I used a fake account that was friends with my main account.
I blocked my main account from the fake account.
I then changed the username on the fake account.
I requested a full data download from the beginning of my main account's history.

The Result:
The fake account STILL showed up in my data download. Specifically, it appeared in my deleted_friends.json file, and it showed up under its NEW, changed username.

Why this happens (The Backend Logic):
Snapchat doesn't track your history using public usernames. They track everything using a permanent, hidden User ID number assigned to every account at creation.
Blocks & Mutual Blocks do NOT hide accounts: When someone blocks you (or you both block each other), Snapchat's server processes this as a "forced removal of friendship." Because the account is still alive, the data tool tracks that broken connection and logs the user.
Username changes do NOT hide accounts: Since the data tool searches by the permanent User ID, it simply checks what public username is currently attached to that ID and prints the new name into your file.

The ONLY Real Explanation If Someone Is Missing:
If you download your complete history from the beginning, and a specific user is completely missing from your active friends, blocked list, AND deleted friends logs, it is NOT because they blocked you, unfriended you, or changed their name.
It means their account has been permanently deleted or banned from Snapchat.
When an account is deleted, its permanent User ID is purged from the master database. Because the ID no longer exists, the data exporter cannot reference it, causing them to completely vanish from all your logs, and causing all your saved chat media with them to be wiped from the servers forever.
Hopefully, this clears up the confusion for anyone looking through their JSON files!