Snapchat’s leadership is signaling a potential shift in platform policy, with CEO Evan Spiegel confirming the company is “willing to implement” daily time limits for adolescent users. This move comes amid growing industry pressure, particularly from Meta, which has urged other social platforms to adopt similar protective measures following a multi-billion dollar legal settlement with US states.
During an interview at the company’s California headquarters, Spiegel described the potential implementation of a maximum daily usage cap as “an important step forward for the industry.” While he emphasized that the team has been looking “thoughtfully” at identifying consistent industry norms, he stopped short of committing to a firm timeline for these changes. He noted that the concept has been discussed internally but did not provide specific details on when such features might roll out, beyond highlighting that the company currently offers a Family Center feature allowing parents to monitor teenage usage patterns.
The push for these restrictions stems from broader litigation involving major tech firms, including Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap, which have faced accusations of contributing to a youth mental health crisis through allegedly addictive app designs. Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, recently agreed to a $12.7 billion settlement. As part of this deal, Meta committed to default two-hour daily time limits for teens, alongside night-time blocks and muted notifications during school hours. Furthermore, Meta indicated it would pay an additional $5.3 billion if YouTube and TikTok adopt similar standards.
While Meta has publicly expressed hope that Snapchat would follow suit, Google—the owner of YouTube—has declined to comment on its plans. TikTok has also remained silent on the matter. Snap continues to face additional scrutiny, including allegations regarding the facilitation of illegal drug sales on its platform.
Alongside the discussion of safety controls, Spiegel provided updates on the firm’s upcoming Specs glasses. These smart wearables are designed to bridge the gap between heavy virtual reality headsets and standard lightweight frames, weighing approximately 130 grams. The device utilizes see-through lenses and AI-driven capabilities to offer recommendations based on a user’s routines and goals, rather than requiring the constant manual input typical of current chatbots.
The glasses are priced at $2,195 in the US and £1,995 in the UK, with the company initially targeting early adopters, developers, and enterprise users. Beyond AR features, the device supports live translation across 60 languages and video streaming. This launch represents a significant effort to revitalize Snap’s wearable tech division a decade after the initial Spectacles encountered financial difficulties.
Safety and privacy remain central to the narrative surrounding such wearables. In contrast to Meta’s smart glasses, which have faced backlash over concerns regarding secret filming and have even been dubbed “pervert glasses” by some online critics, Snap has integrated specific privacy indicators. The company stated that the Specs design avoids facial recognition and includes a prominent white light that flashes above the user’s nose during recording, ensuring bystanders are aware when a device is in use. Meta has previously reported disabling cameras on thousands of its own devices where users attempted to tamper with indicator lights, emphasizing the ongoing tension between consumer wearable technology and public privacy expectations. The report also notes that which it said could connect to Apple iPhone and Mac devices, his comments came as the firm revealed a slew of new features for its upcoming Specs glasses. The report also notes that which will be paid over a 10-year period, it has denied any wrongdoing as part of the deal. The report also notes that last month, a Meta spokesperson said it was hopeful that Snap would make similar platform changes as well. The report also notes that when asked about the idea of a default time limit, Spiegel said: “I think that’s a really good example of something that that we’d be willing to implement. The report also notes that that’s something we’ve talked about internally,” he said. “I don’t have more to share today. The report also notes that we want to figure out how we can be part of the solution,” Spiegel added. The report also notes that relationships and routines, he said the smart eyewear would use AI to suggest things for people to do based on what the tech learns about their goals.
