Snap tightens Spotlight controls for under-16s in bid to curb doxxing risks
Snapchat has introduced stricter content sharing rules for users aged 13 to 15, limiting their Spotlight visibility to mutual friends and removing public metrics, as the company faces ongoing legal scrutiny over social media addiction.
Snapchat has implemented new content controls designed to protect underage users from doxxing and reduce the social pressure associated with engagement metrics. Under the updated policy, users aged 13 to 15 will be assigned a separate profile for their Stories and Spotlight posts, which can only be shared with friends they follow back. This marks a shift from previous protocols where this cohort could share content with everyone, albeit without profile attribution to prevent direct contact.
The platform will no longer display engagement metrics, such as favourite counts, on content posted by users under 16. Snapchat stated that the removal of these public metrics is intended to dial down the pressure on younger teens to rank up engagement. By limiting the audience to mutual friends, the company aims to create a more controlled environment for content creation among its youngest demographic.
Users aged 16 to 18 retain the ability to share Spotlight posts publicly, but their visibility is now restricted to friends, followers, and users with whom they share mutual connections. This adjustment aligns with broader industry trends, as competitors like Instagram have recently introduced specialised accounts and restricted experiences for teenage users to address similar safety concerns.
The changes come as Snapchat continues to face legal challenges regarding its impact on youth. Earlier this year, the company settled a lawsuit accusing it of abetting social media addiction and is currently fighting similar cases across the United States. In a recent interview with CNBC, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel cited studies to argue that the platform has a positive impact on users by connecting them to friends, and asserted that it should not be categorised with TikTok or Instagram.
To support parental oversight, Snapchat continues to provide usage data via its Family Center, allowing parents to view how much time their children spend on specific sections of the app, such as Stories and Spotlight. The platform also maintains existing safeguards that prevent strangers from sending friend requests or messages to teenagers, and displays warnings when teen users initiate chats with strangers.
