Snapchat Limits Public Sharing for Users Under 16

Snap Inc. implemented a global update introducing age-tiered privacy restrictions for users under 18 to protect minors from doxxing and unwanted contact. Users aged 13 to 15 are now restricted to separate profiles where Stories and Spotlight content are visible only to mutual friends, and public engagement metrics, such as favorite counts, are removed. To prevent circumvention, users registered between 13 and 17 are barred from changing their birth year to 18 or older.

Users aged 16 to 18 may share Spotlight posts publicly, but distribution remains limited to friends, followers, and mutual connections. The company will automatically shift users into restricted settings if it determines they are under 16, regardless of their stated age. These updates include blocking strangers from sending friend requests to teenagers and expanding the Family Center tool to provide parents with granular time-spent data.

The changes follow a settlement in a U.S. social media addiction lawsuit and reports from the Heat Initiative alleging that previous safety measures failed to prevent bullying and adult-led contact. CEO Evan Spiegel defended the platform, arguing that Snapchat has a net positive effect by connecting users with existing friends rather than through the algorithms used by TikTok and Instagram.