Snapchat stops rewarding fully generated Spotlight videos

Snapchat will stop rewarding fully machine-generated videos with placement in Spotlight recommendations, shifting the short-video feed toward content made by real people.

The company announced the change on Friday, saying it will adjust its recommendation systems so that only videos created by people remain eligible for Spotlight recommendations. Snapchat said the goal is to make Spotlight a destination for original perspectives and personal storytelling rather than low-quality, mass-produced posts.

“Remain a place where people can discover authentic creativity from real people, because we believe there’s enduring value in rewarding original perspectives, personal storytelling, and the moments that people choose to create and share themselves.”

The policy does not prohibit creators from using Snapchat’s generative editing tools. Users can still apply those tools to enhance or edit videos, but content generated entirely by software will no longer qualify for recommendation in Spotlight.

Recommended reading

AI melodramas are flooding X—and paying creators

Snapchat’s changing Spotlight policy

The update follows an announcement in April, when Snapchat said users would see less generated content in the service. The company’s latest move focuses specifically on ranking and eligibility, rather than removing its creative tools altogether.

Snapchat is joining a broader group of platforms tightening rules around low-quality generated material. LinkedIn recently added a reporting option labeled “seems like AI slop” for posts users believe were generated by software. Substack introduced a tool for identifying newsletters written with generative systems.

Meta faced backlash earlier this month over an Instagram feature that let users modify photos from public accounts with generative tools; the company subsequently removed the feature. YouTube has also clarified that its monetization rules exclude “inauthentic content,” including generic, repetitive, or template-based material, as well as videos featuring software-generated personas discussing sensitive subjects such as health and finance.

New controls for younger Snapchat users

Separately, Snapchat introduced additional content controls last month for users aged 13 to 15. Those users can now share Spotlight posts only with people they follow back, a measure intended to reduce the risk of doxxing.

Snapchat did not provide further details on how its recommendation system will determine whether a video was created entirely by software, or when the updated eligibility rules will take effect.