Snapchat Publishes Guidelines, Detailing the Content Types Distributed to Users on the Platform
Syed Imran Haider 
Snapchat announced its new move to publish content guidelines to help users identify the content types getting algorithmically distributed in the app. Making these guidelines public will allow parents to ensure what their broods view on the social media app. Earlier, only professional content creators and vetted publishing partners on Snapchat could access the guidelines.
The new move will make the availability of content rules on a broader and larger scale. Snap will publish the guidelines in its Family Center, which works as a portal with Snapchat allowing parents and children under 18 on the app to see their teens’ friend list and individuals with whom they communicate.
Snapchat’s Content Distribution Algorithms
Snapchat utilizes specific algorithms for personalized content distribution to users through its Stories tab and Spotlight tab. The Stories tab contains content created by popular creators and professional media publishers, whereas the Spotlight tab exhibits the best content from regular Snapchat users.
The social media app uses content moderation guidelines in both instances to determine the content types that it can recommend to Snapchat users. Now it enables parents to restrict their children’s ability to see recommended content in Snapchat’s Spotlight tab or Stories tab using controls in its Family Center portal. They will also be to see Snapchat-identified sensitive or suggestive content by filtering out the Stories tab from creators or publishers.
Content GuidelinesÂ
Snapchat published content guidelines that detail how the social media app categorizes specific content as suggestive or sensitive using the criteria viewable for the parents. For instance, moderately suggestive content like an image comprising a woman in a bikini may be considered sensitive, though it does not necessarily breach the company’s content guidelines. Snapchat lets parents decide whether or not they want to stop the app from recommending that content to their teens.
While Some content types do not violate Snapchat’s guidelines, the app will still avoid distributing it algorithmically because of its ultra-sensitivity. Explicit language describing sexual acts could be an example of ineligible content for algorithmic distribution.
The broader aspect of Snapchat’s content guidelines is its availability to the public as it will be in everyone’s interest. Snapchat also considers any available content that is shocking, deceptive, harmful, and exaggerated not eligible for recommendation to users. Likewise, the app’s moderation team will not allow content that is in poor taste or aimed to disgust to convey as recommendations made by Snapchat.
The American instant messaging app and service want its users to act smart. It will enable them to technically view that content if they can proactively choose to follow a specific creator’s content. However, Snapchat’s Family Center still facilitate parents in controlling the creators their teens under 18 can choose to follow.
Snapchat may temporarily or permanently disqualify user accounts that repeatedly post illegible stuff from having their created content recommended by the app. While almost all tech giants publish their community standards and guidelines to the general public, most do not offer detailed breakouts of content types eligible for algorithmic distribution.
