Spotlight on Snapchat allows users to view curated content from the Snapchat community. Videos that are featured in Spotlight have the potential to go viral and gain a lot of views. If one of your Snaps is added to Spotlight, it will show up under the favorites tab for 24 hours.
What are Spotlight favorites?
Spotlight favorites refer to Snaps that have been added to the favorites tab in Spotlight. When your Snap is added as a Spotlight favorite, it will be pinned to the top of the favorites tab for 24 hours so that more Snapchatters can view it. This gives your Snap a chance to gain more views and engagement quickly.
Getting a Snap featured in Spotlight favorites can be great for exposure. However, some users may not want their content to be featured against their will. Fortunately, there is a way to remove your Snap from the Spotlight favorites section.
How to remove your Snap from Spotlight favorites
If you want to remove your Snap from Spotlight favorites, follow these steps:
- Open the Snapchat app and go to your profile page.
- Tap the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner.
- Go to “Support”.
- Tap on “My Data”.
- Tap on “Submit request”.
- Select “Delete something I posted”.
- Tap on Spotlight and select the specific Snap you want removed.
- Confirm that you want to delete the Snap.
It may take up to 24 hours for your Snap to be removed after submitting the deletion request. Once it’s deleted, your Snap will no longer appear in Spotlight favorites.
Why remove your Snap from Spotlight favorites?
Here are some common reasons why someone may want to remove their Snap from Spotlight favorites:
- You don’t want that particular content being shared widely or going viral.
- The Snap contains something private or personal you no longer want featured.
- You weren’t aware the Snap was being used in Spotlight when you posted it.
- You’re concerned about who may view or share the Spotlight Snap.
- You feel the content is being misrepresented by being featured in Spotlight.
- The Snap is no longer timely or relevant content you want publicized.
Essentially, removing your Snap gives you control over your content and what you are comfortable sharing publicly on Snapchat. Taking your Snap out of the spotlight protects your privacy and prevents unwanted circulation.
Can I opt out of Spotlight altogether?
There is no global opt-out setting for keeping your content out of Spotlight. Your Snaps may continue to be added to Spotlight favorites even after removing one.
The only way to prevent your content from ever being included is to avoid posting public Snaps that use the relevant Spotlight creative tools. Here are some tips:
- Post privately using settings like My Eyes Only rather than to your public Story.
- Avoid using creative tools like Snapchat lenses or sounds when posting publicly.
- Stick to simple text Snaps and avoid engaging videos.
However, there is no guarantee that these precautions will keep your Snaps out of Spotlight 100% of the time. The best options are submitting individual deletion requests or speaking with Snapchat support if your content keeps getting featured against your wishes.
What happens when your Snap is removed from Spotlight favorites?
When your Snap is successfully removed from Spotlight favorites, here is what happens:
- The Snap will no longer appear in the Spotlight favorites tab for other users.
- The Snap may remain on your public Snapchat Story if you posted it there as well.
- Any views, likes, comments, etc. on that Snap prior to its removal will be unchanged.
- You cannot recover or re-add the deleted Snap back into Spotlight after removal.
- The Snap could still have been downloaded, screenshotted, or shared by others before its deletion.
In summary, removing a Snap from Spotlight favorites causes it to no longer be publicly featured or recommended to other Snapchat users. But it does not necessarily erase all evidence that it once existed. Be cautious when posting any Snaps publicly that you may not be comfortable circulating widely or going viral.
Can I report inappropriate Spotlight Snaps?
If you come across inappropriate, offensive, or illegal content featured in Spotlight favorites, Snapchat does allow reporting it:
- Tap and hold on the Snap you want to report.
- Press the flag icon to open reporting options.
- Select the reason for reporting the Snap.
- Leave an optional additional comment, then tap Report.
Snapchat’s content guidelines prohibit nudity, hate speech, threats, harassment, and dangerous or illegal content. Reporting violations helps Snapchat identify and remove abusive Snaps featured in Spotlight.
Conclusion
Having a Snap go viral through Spotlight can be a double-edged sword. While the views and exposure are nice, losing control of your content can be concerning. Thankfully, requesting Snapchat to remove your Snap from the Spotlight favorites tab is simple. Just be mindful of never posting anything publicly that you wouldn’t want getting widespread circulation. With the proper privacy precautions, Spotlight can remain an engaging place to discover captivating content from the Snapchat community.