Snapchat adds new privacy controls for teen users

Snapchat is tightening content controls for teenage users, limiting who can see Stories and Spotlight posts from users under 18 in a move the company says is designed to protect minors from doxxing and unwanted contact.

The changes introduce age-tiered restrictions that go further than the platform’s existing safeguards.

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Users aged 13 to 15 will now only be able to share Spotlight posts with people they follow back, ending the previous arrangement where posts from this group could surface publicly, even if they weren’t directly attributed to a profile.

Under-16 users will also receive a separate profile view for Stories and Spotlight, visible only to mutual friends, and stripped of engagement metrics like favourite counts that Snapchat says create pressure around performance.

Older teens still have more flexibility but face new guardrails. Users aged 16 to 18 can share Spotlight posts publicly, but distribution is capped to friends, followers, and mutual connections.

Parents using Snapchat’s Family Center tool will now be able to see time-spent data broken down by feature, including Stories and Spotlight, giving carers more granular insight into how their children use the app.

The changes build on protections. Snapchat already has in place, including blocks on strangers sending friend requests or messages to teenagers, and warnings shown to teen users when they initiate contact with someone unknown.

The company is also fighting multiple social media addiction lawsuits across the US, having settled one earlier this year.

In a recent CNBC interview, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel pushed back on comparisons to TikTok and Instagram, citing studies he said showed Snapchat has a net positive effect on users by keeping them connected to existing friends rather than algorithmic strangers.