Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat, stated in an interview with the BBC that the company would be "willing to implement" daily time limits for teens. This consideration follows a call from Meta, which has been pressuring social media companies to adopt similar measures as part of a legal settlement with U.S. states. Spiegel emphasized that setting a maximum time limit for young users could be "an important step forward for the industry."
Meta recently agreed to pay $12.7 billion and implement a two-hour daily limit for teen users across its platforms, along with other measures such as muted notifications during school hours and blocks at night. Spiegel noted that Snapchat has been evaluating the idea of time limits internally but did not provide a specific timeline for potential implementation.
In addition to discussing time limits, Spiegel introduced new features for Snapchat's upcoming Specs glasses, which are designed to connect with Apple devices. He explained that the smart eyewear would use AI to suggest activities based on user preferences. The glasses will retail for $2,195 in the U.S. and £1,995 in the U.K. and are aimed at early adopters and developers.
Spiegel highlighted that Specs will not utilize facial recognition technology and will include a visible indicator when recording is taking place. This design aims to address privacy concerns associated with smart glasses.
Meta's glasses have faced criticism for privacy violations, yet they continue to sell well, with seven million units sold. The competition in the smart glasses market remains strong, as companies like Snap and Meta innovate in this space.