Snapchat Spotlight is a feature within the Snapchat app that allows users to view public, popular videos submitted by other Snapchat users. Since these videos are public, there are some privacy concerns that users should be aware of when posting to Spotlight or viewing Spotlight content.
What is Snapchat Spotlight?
Snapchat Spotlight was introduced in November 2020 as a way for Snapchatters to share public videos that have the potential to go viral. Videos submitted to Spotlight appear in a dedicated section of the app where they can be viewed by the Snapchat community. The videos are ranked based on total view count, with the most popular ones appearing at the top.
Spotlight aims to highlight the most entertaining and engaging videos on Snapchat. Users can scroll through the Spotlight feed to watch funny clips, talent videos, clever hacks, and more. There is also a financial incentive for creators – Snapchat distributes over $1 million every day to users whose Spotlight videos receive high view counts.
Are Spotlight videos public?
Yes, any video submitted to Snapchat Spotlight becomes public content. Unlike typical Snapchat stories and messages that disappear after being viewed, Spotlight videos remain visible to the Snapchat community indefinitely.
When posting a video to Spotlight, Snapchat provides a disclaimer stating: “You are submitting this video to be considered for Spotlight. Videos you submit to Spotlight will be public.” Users must accept this disclaimer to share a video on Spotlight.
The public nature of Spotlight videos enables them to gain maximum views and have the potential to go viral quickly. However, it also means anyone on Snapchat can see and share the content – not just a user’s friends.
Can you post privately on Spotlight?
No, there is no option to post privately to Snapchat Spotlight. All Spotlight submissions are public posts that can be viewed by Snapchat’s global user base of over 300 million monthly active users.
Snapchat does have other features like Stories and private messaging for sharing more personal content with a limited audience. But anything posted specifically to the Spotlight feed is immediately public.
Does Spotlight show user names?
Spotlight videos display the username of the Snapchat account that posted them. Tapping on the username will take you to that user’s public Snapchat profile.
So posting to Spotlight does not make your username anonymous or hidden. Anyone who views your Spotlight video can see your username and potentially visit your profile. Of course, your username may not reveal your real identity if you use an alias.
Can you delete Spotlight videos?
Yes, users can delete their own videos from Snapchat Spotlight at any time. To remove a video:
- Tap your profile icon on the top left of the Spotlight screen
- Tap the three line menu icon
- Select “My Spotlight videos”
- Tap and hold the video you want to delete
- Tap “Delete” to confirm
Deleting a video prevents it from continuing to gain views on Spotlight. However, there is no way to delete videos posted by other users.
Do deleted Spotlight videos disappear completely?
Unfortunately, deleting a Spotlight video does not guarantee it’s gone forever. Since videos can spread quickly, someone may have already recorded or shared your video before you deleted it.
Snapchat confirmed that deleted Spotlight videos could remain visible if they were:
- Saved by other users
- Shared on other platforms
- Reposted by other accounts
So while deleting a post prevents new views on Snapchat, copies could exist elsewhere online.
Can you report inappropriate Spotlight videos?
Yes, Snapchat provides a way to report problematic Spotlight content such as:
- Nudity or sexual content
- Harmful or dangerous acts
- Hate speech, threats, harassment
- Intellectual property violation
- Spam or misleading content
To report a Spotlight video:
- Tap and hold on the video to bring up options
- Tap “Report”
- Select the most appropriate reason for reporting
- Tap “Report” again to confirm
Reporting a video notifies Snapchat’s content moderation team. If the video is found to violate guidelines, Snapchat may remove it from Spotlight.
Can minors post on Spotlight?
Snapchat requires users to be at least 13 years old to create an account and access Spotlight. However, some younger children still manage to sign up without parental consent.
This poses risks if minors are posting publicly. Parents should speak with their children about responsible social media use and not sharing anything they wouldn’t want the public to see.
Snapchat does try to protect younger users by preventing follower requests and friend suggestions for accounts belonging to those under 18. But minors can still view all public content.
Is posting to Spotlight risky?
Posting any public content online carries some level of risk. Here are a few things to consider before sharing a Spotlight video:
- Strangers can see it – Anyone on Snapchat can view, share, comment on or otherwise interact with your video.
- It can go viral rapidly – Popular Spotlight content gets millions of views quickly.
- It may show more than intended – Videos only get a few seconds to grab attention, so risqué or embarrassing moments can spread farther than expected.
- It sticks around indefinitely – Even deleting a video does not guarantee it’s gone for good.
- You may be judged or harassed – Spotlight opens content up to negative reactions from strangers.
Weighing these factors before posting is important, especially for younger users. The most private option is to not share to Spotlight and only use Stories or messaging to share videos.
How to post safely to Spotlight
If you do want to post to Snapchat Spotlight, here are some tips for doing so safely and responsibly:
- Do not share personal details like your real name, address, school, workplace, etc.
- Use a unique username not associated with other accounts.
- Set your Snapchat profile to private so only friends can contact you.
- Do not geotag videos or reveal identifiable locations.
- Keep your face/body hidden if sharing risqué content.
- Watermark videos to discourage unauthorized sharing.
- Review videos carefully before posting – once public it cannot be undone.
- Turn off notifications if the spotlight video goes viral unexpectedly.
- Delete if having second thoughts – but understand copies may still exist.
Conclusion
Snapchat Spotlight provides a way to share fun, entertaining videos with a wide audience. But the public nature means no content is really private. While Spotlight can help videos go viral quickly, oversharing leaves users exposed to privacy risks.
Posting responsibly, hiding identifying details, and deleting promptly are key to using Spotlight safely. Ultimately there is no full guarantee of privacy when sharing public social media content.