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Snapchat has updated its guidelines to minimize the amount of sexually explicit content hosted in the app’s Discover section, which hosts things including videos and news from publishers, Business Insider reports.
The company’s stricter stance comes after it found many publishers using raunchy photos as “tiles,” which are the photo covers of publishers’ discover content, to entice readers. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that Snapchat allows content that errs towards being sexually explicit if the content is deemed newsworthy.
Snapchat’s policy updates are the latest reflection of the premium-ification of digital ad inventory. The firmer stance towards explicit content can minimize the amount of objectionable content and make Snapchat’s Discover section into more premium ad inventory. This would help Snapchat appeal to brands used to advertising on premium environments, like TV. Snapchat joins many other digital companies also focused on creating a more premium ad ecosystem, like Facebook, which recently announced it would more closely vet ads.
Snap will likely employ humans to ensure compliance with its new guidelines. There are nuances involved with deeming something newsworthy, and using humans to moderate content would provide a point of contact if any publisher had an issue with its content being flagged. This is important as Snapchat has over 70 media partners that are currently on Discover. Meanwhile, publishers can also restrict their content to certain age groups, which may minimize the amount of content that is subject to review in the first place.
Snap risks creating friction with certain publishers with its update. The change will likely affect certain publishers more than others, depending on the nature of the industry.Publishers covering topics that would naturally lead them to show more skin may have to adjust more of their content to be suitable with Snapchat’s new guidelines than a business-focused publisher, for example. This may cause certain publishers to feel that their content is being unfairly subject to scrutiny.
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