Snap bans anonymous messaging features from third-party app integrations

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Third-party apps that integrate with the platform will not be allowed to have anonymous messaging features. The change came after a lawsuit was brought against the company for misuse of its platform linked to the death of a teenager. After the suit was filed, the third-party apps, Yolo and LMK, were suspended.

We know that most of the time, these anonymous integrations are fun, engaging, and entirely appropriate, but we believe that some users might be more prone to engage in harmful behavior if they have them.

Today, it was announced that the developer program will be restricted to people 18 and older to protect young users. The company says the change is consistent with the use case of the app.

Third-party apps can integrate with Snapchat with the help of the snap kit. Developers apply to participate in the program, and are subject to safety and privacy policies, including a ban on harassment, hate speech, and that they take action if abuse happens. 2 percent of developers will be affected by the ban on anonymous messaging, and 3 percent will be affected by the age restriction of meetup apps.