Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users. One of Snapchat’s key features is that photos, videos, and messages are meant to disappear after being viewed. However, users can also choose to post content to their Snapchat Story, which is public and viewable by all of their friends.
This raises the question – who can see your public Snapchat content if you post to your Snapchat Story? Here is a detailed look at exactly who can view your public Snapchats.
Friends
The most obvious group that can view your public Snapchat Story is your Snapchat friends. Once you post content to your Story, all of your Snapchat friends will be able to see it for 24 hours. This includes:
- Friends you’ve added manually
- Friends who have added you
- Anyone you have a Snapstreak with
- Celebrity accounts you follow
So if you have 200 friends on Snapchat, all 200 of those friends will be able to view your public Story. Keep this in mind when posting – do you want all your friends seeing certain content? You may want to send more personal Snaps directly to select friends instead.
Friends of Friends
In addition to your direct Snapchat friends, their friends may also be able to view your public Story content through Snap Map. The Snap Map shows your friends’ locations and stories, as well as friends of your friends who have chosen to share their stories publicly.
So if your friend Jane has her Snap Map sharing enabled, and is friends with Bob who you aren’t friends with, Bob will be able to see your public Story on Jane’s Snap Map. Just because someone isn’t your direct friend doesn’t mean they can’t view your content through mutual friend connections.
Location-Based Stories
If you post content using a location-based Snapchat filter or geofilter, your post may be added to public location-based Stories. For example, if you’re at Disneyland and use a Disney filter and post to your Story, it may get added to a public Story for everyone at Disneyland.
These location-based Stories allow people to view public Snaps from the same location. So anyone who is also at that location or views the Story afterwards will be able to see your post, even people who are not your friends on Snapchat.
How Many Views on Location Stories?
The number of views your post gets on a location Story depends on how many people are at that location and how many open the Story. Major events or tourist destinations will have a lot more views. For example, a Snap at Coachella may get tens of thousands of views, while a neighborhood cafe may only get a few hundred views.
Screenshots
One thing to keep in mind is that anyone who can view your public Snapchat Story can also take a screenshot of it. Snapchat notifies you if someone screenshots your Snap, but it doesn’t prevent them from doing so.
So even though your Snap will disappear from the Story after 24 hours, people can capture the image via screenshot. This means that any public photo or video you post to Snapchat could end up being shared elsewhere by anyone who views it.
Can You Tell if Someone Screenshot Your Story?
As mentioned above, Snapchat does notify you if someone takes a screenshot of your Snap. You’ll see an alert that the person took a screenshot of your photo or video. However, it doesn’t tell you exactly who took the screenshot – only that “someone” did.
The notification will show up right away if someone screenshots your story. This gives you a heads up that your content may end up being shared in other places.
Conclusion
To recap, here is who can view your public Snapchat Story:
- All of your friends on Snapchat
- Friends of friends through Snap Map
- Anyone who views location-based Stories if your post appears there
In addition, anyone who views your Story can screenshot it, so it could be shared outside of Snapchat as well. The takeaway is to share thoughtfully and be selective about what you choose to post publicly. Make sure you’re comfortable with any Story post being seen by friends, friends of friends, strangers if it ends up on location Stories, or being screenshotted and shared elsewhere.
If you only want certain friends seeing certain content, consider sending them individual Snaps instead. Overall, be smart about what you share publicly on social media.
| Who Can See My Public Snapchat Story | Details |
|---|---|
| Snapchat Friends | All friends added manually, who added you, Snapstreaks, celebs followed |
| Friends of Friends via Snap Map | If their settings allow it and you’re friends with their friend |
| People via Location Stories | Anyone at that location opens the Story |
| Screenshotters | Anyone who views can screenshot, unknown who did |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prevent screenshots of my Story?
Unfortunately there is no way to disable screenshots of your Snapchat Story. Anyone who views it can take a screenshot with their device. Snapchat will notify you if someone screenshots your content, but it doesn’t tell you who or prevent it.
Can I see who viewed my Story?
No, Snapchat does not show you exactly who has viewed your Story. However, you can see the total number of views your Story received in the past 24 hours. But this is a total count only, not a list of names of who viewed your Story.
Can I hide my Story from certain friends?
Yes, Snapchat does allow you to customize your privacy settings and hide your Story from select friends. Go to your profile, tap the gear icon, select “Privacy Settings”, then “Story”. Here you can choose to hide your Story from specific friends.
Is Snap Map required to use Snapchat?
No, Snap Map and location sharing are optional features. You can disable Snap Map in your Snapchat settings if you don’t want your location visible to anyone. To turn off, go to your profile, tap the gear icon, select “Snap Map” and toggle “Ghost Mode” on.
Summary
Posting to your public Snapchat Story means opening up your content to be viewed by friends, friends of friends, strangers via location, and anyone who screenshots. Be thoughtful about what you choose to share publicly. Use privacy settings to limit certain content to specific friends if desired. Remember the internet is forever – once you post something publicly, you lose control over where it could end up!