From BBC News · · 2m
Snapchat open to time limits for teens
Snap's CEO tells the BBC the company would implement daily usage caps for young users, following Meta's billion-dollar settlement.
In brief
Snap's CEO tells the BBC the company would implement daily usage caps for young users, following Meta's billion-dollar settlement. Snapchat is willing to adopt time limits for teen users similar to Meta's two-hour daily default, though no timeline has been set. Originally reported by BBC News.
Snapchat willing to limit teen time
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel told the BBC the company would be willing to implement daily time limits for teenage users, calling it an important step forward for the industry.
“I think it is an important step forward in the industry”
Meta's settlement forced the issue
Meta agreed to pay 12.7 billion dollars and implement a two-hour daily limit for teen users after facing allegations that it deliberately designed apps to be addictive.
Meta wants others to follow suit
Meta said it would pay an additional 5.3 billion dollars if YouTube and TikTok also implement stricter time limits, pressuring competitors to adopt similar measures.
No timeline from Snapchat yet
While Spiegel said Snap has discussed time limits internally, he did not commit to when the company might implement them.
“That's something we've talked about internally. I don't have more to share today.”
Snap already has parental tools
Snapchat's Family Center feature lets parents track how their teens are using the app, which Spiegel highlighted as part of the company's existing safety measures.
Youth mental health crisis ongoing
Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap have all faced lawsuits alleging their apps contributed to a youth mental health crisis, with Snap also accused of facilitating illegal drug sales.
Snap unveils new Specs glasses
Snapchat announced new features for its upcoming Specs smart glasses, which use AI to suggest activities based on what the tech learns about users' goals and routines.
Specs priced at two thousand dollars
The smart glasses will retail for 2,195 dollars in the US and 1,995 pounds in the UK, targeting early tech adopters, developers and enterprise customers.
Privacy concerns with smart glasses
Meta's smart glasses have faced backlash over secret filming, with users finding ways to obscure recording indicators. Snap's Specs include a white light that flashes when recording to address privacy concerns.
Meta glasses still dominating market
Despite privacy concerns, Meta's smart glasses remain the most popular on the market with seven million pairs sold, though some call them pervert glasses due to secret filming incidents.
Here's the gist
Snapchat is willing to adopt time limits for teen users similar to Meta's two-hour daily default, though no timeline has been set.
