Snapchat considering daily time limits for teens, boss tells BBC

According to BBC News, Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel has expressed a willingness to implement daily time limits for teenage users on the Snapchat platform. This potential move follows pressure from Meta, which recently agreed to set a two-hour default limit for teens on its own apps as part of a multi-billion dollar legal settlement regarding allegations that its platforms were designed to be addictive. While Spiegel described the introduction of industry-wide norms as a positive step, he did not provide a specific timeline for when or if such changes would be officially adopted by Snap.

The discussion regarding screen time occurred alongside Snap’s announcement of new features for its upcoming Specs smart glasses. Designed for early adopters and enterprise users, the $2,195 device utilizes artificial intelligence to offer context-aware recommendations based on a user's habits and goals. Snap positioned the glasses as a middle ground between lightweight alternatives and bulky virtual reality headsets, emphasizing that the hardware does not utilize facial recognition.

To address privacy concerns, Snap noted that the glasses feature a visible light that flashes when the device is recording, a contrast to Meta’s smart glasses, which have faced criticism and reports of tampering by users to hide recording indicators. While Meta has faced significant litigation and scrutiny over its impact on youth mental health, other major platforms like YouTube and TikTok have not committed to following the specific time-limit measures outlined in Meta’s recent settlement.

Source: BBC News — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr3wjz3edd10o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss