Snapchat
Ephemeral messaging app known for disappearing Snaps and Stories.
Snapchat is an American multimedia social media and instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc. It is known for its principal feature that pictures and messages, called 'Snaps,' are typically accessible only for a brief period before recipients can no longer access them. The app has evolved from person-to-person photo sharing to include 'Stories' of 24-hour chronological content and 'Discover' for brand-sponsored short-form content. It represents a mobile-first direction for social media, emphasizing virtual stickers and augmented reality objects.
- field
- Social media and instant messaging
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Ephemeral photo and video messaging, Stories, augmented reality filters
- founders
- Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, Reggie Brown
- launch_date
- July 8, 2011 (as Picaboo); relaunched as Snapchat in September 2011
- monthly_active_users_2023
- Over 300 million
- daily_snaps_2020
- Over 4 billion
Lore & Background
Snapchat was created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown, former students at Stanford University. According to documents and deposition statements, Brown brought the idea for a disappearing-pictures application to Spiegel, who had prior business experience. Brown and Spiegel then pulled in Murphy, who had coding experience. They launched the app as 'Picaboo' on iOS on July 8, 2011. Brown was ousted months later; he later settled with Spiegel and Murphy for $157.5 million in September 2014 and was credited as one of the original authors. The app was relaunched as Snapchat in September 2011, keeping a mascot, 'Ghostface Chillah.' In their first blog post on May 9, 2012, CEO Evan Spiegel described the company's mission as communicating with the full range of human emotion, not just what appears pretty or perfect, and as a solution to stresses from the longevity of personal information on social media.
Reader's Guide
Snapchat's significance lies in pioneering ephemeral social media, shifting communication away from permanent digital records. Its growth was rapid: by May 2012, 25 snaps were sent per second; by October 2012, users had shared over one billion photos. The app introduced features like Stories, Discover, and augmented reality objects, influencing other platforms. It faced privacy concerns and controversies, including a 2018 redesign criticized by Kylie Jenner that reportedly caused Snap Inc. to lose over $1.3 billion in market value. Snapchat also launched Snapkidz for users under 13, and later Snapchat Plus, a paid subscription. By 2023, it had over 300 million monthly active users, with most users aged 18–24. Its legacy includes popularizing temporary content and mobile-first design, though it remains subject to privacy concerns with social networking services.
Did You Know?
- Snapchat was originally launched as 'Picaboo' on July 8, 2011.
- The mascot 'Ghostface Chillah' was designed by a third-party designer or by Snapchat's team, not by co-founder Reggie Brown, and was named after Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang Clan.
- In February 2018, a tweet by Kylie Jenner criticizing a redesign reportedly caused Snap Inc. to lose more than $1.3 billion in market value.
- Snapchat introduced Snapkidz for users under 13, which allowed taking and drawing on snaps but not sending them.
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