Snapchat Open to Implementing Teen Time Limits Following Meta Settlement Pressure

Snap Inc chief executive Evan Spiegel has stated that the company would be willing to implement daily time limits for teenage users on Snapchat. Speaking in an interview with the BBC at the company's California headquarters, Spiegel described the measure as an important step forward for the social media industry.

The remarks from the head of Snapchat-parent Snap Inc follow public calls and pressure from Meta for other social media companies to adopt platform changes similar to those agreed upon in a recent legal settlement with United States states. Spiegel did not commit to a specific timeline for when Snap might introduce these changes, noting that the idea has been discussed internally but that he had no further details to share at the moment.

The industry discussion on teen safety limits follows a major legal settlement involving Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook. Meta had faced allegations from attorneys general representing most US states, who argued that the tech giant deliberately designed its platforms to be addictive to young users. Under the terms of an August settlement, Meta agreed to pay $12.7 billion and implement a default two-hour daily time limit for teen users across its platforms. The settlement also includes muted notifications during school hours, nighttime blocks, and other safety measures.

Furthermore, Meta's agreement includes provisions where the company would implement even more stringent time limits and pay an additional $5.3 billion if competing platforms like YouTube and TikTok follow suit. Meta has denied any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, which is structured to be paid out over a 10-year period. A Meta spokesperson previously expressed hope that Snap would adopt comparable platform changes.

Major technology companies, including Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap, have faced extensive litigation alleging that their social media applications have contributed to a youth mental health crisis. In addition to youth safety concerns, Snap has faced accusations of facilitating illegal drug sales on its platform. When questioned about default time limits, Spiegel affirmed that it is a strong example of a measure Snap would be willing to implement. He also highlighted that the company currently offers parental oversight tools through its Family Center feature, which allows parents to monitor aspects of their teenagers' application usage to help be part of the solution.

When the BBC asked other major tech firms about their plans, Google—the parent company of YouTube—stated it had no comment regarding whether it planned to implement the measures outlined in Meta's settlement. Meanwhile, TikTok did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

Alongside the discussion on teen safety controls, Spiegel's interview coincided with Snap Inc's announcement of new features for its upcoming Specs smart glasses. Snap revealed that the wearable device could connect to Apple iPhone and Mac devices. According to Spiegel, the smart eyewear will utilize artificial intelligence to suggest tasks and activities based on user routines, relationships, and goals, differing from conventional chatbot interfaces where users must constantly prompt the system for information.

The upcoming Specs are positioned as a bridge between immersive virtual reality headsets, such as Meta's Quest 3, and lightweight AI smart glasses currently on the market. Weighing approximately 130 grams with see-through lenses, the device is designed to offer a balance of wearability and immersive capability. However, the technology carries a high price tag, retailing at $2,195 in the US and £1,995 in the UK. Spiegel noted that the primary target audience consists of early tech adopters, developers, and enterprise users.

Snap's entrance into the wearable market comes a decade after its initial Spectacles product experienced a brief run and cost the company tens of millions of dollars. The launch also arrives as competing smart glasses from Meta face scrutiny and strong market demand. Meta's smart glasses have drawn controversy regarding privacy concerns, with critics labeling them "pervert glasses" following instances where individuals were filmed without consent in public spaces. Meta reported that approximately seven million pairs of its glasses have been sold.

To address privacy concerns, Snap stated that its Specs design incorporates built-in safeguards, omitting facial recognition capabilities while including a white indicator light at the top of the frame above the user's nose that flashes during photo and video recording. In contrast, security issues have emerged with Meta's devices, where some users attempted to tamper with or obscure indicator components. Meta has responded by remotely disabling thousands of devices where physical tampering with the recording light was detected.