Snapchat launches Topic Chats to help users join trending conversations safely

Snapchat

Snapchat is adding a new feature that changes the way people talk about trending moments on the app. While Snapchat has always been built around private chats between friends, the company has noticed that more users are now reacting publicly to viral topics and popular events. To support this shift, Snapchat is introducing Topic Chats, a new type of public conversation space designed for the things everyone is talking about.

Over the next few weeks, users in the US, Canada and New Zealand will start seeing Topic Chats appear in different parts of the app — inside chat shortcuts, in the search bar, on the Stories page and on Spotlight videos. If you’re browsing Snapchat and come across a big yellow button that says “Join the Chat”, that means a Topic Chat is available. A single tap pulls you straight into a bigger conversation and also lets you explore Spotlight videos that relate to that topic.

For people who don’t use Snapchat much, Topic Chats are basically a way to talk to the wider Snapchat community without adding strangers or exposing your profile. Think of it as joining a group chat about trending things like cricket highlights, a viral meme or a new TV show — but your personal account still stays private.

Each Topic Chat is designed to look and feel like a regular Snapchat chat. You can send messages, react, and see related Snaps made by other users about the same subject. Snapchat will also show you which of your friends are part of a Topic Chat, making it easier to join conversations that match your interests. Any Topic Chat you participate in will also move to the top of your Topic Chat page, so you can quickly return to it.

The company says it wants Topic Chats to be a fun, safe way to participate in big cultural conversations — whether it’s Formula 1, a reality show like Below Deck or something that suddenly trends overnight. To keep things safe, Snapchat will moderate these chats and ensure that profiles stay private. People you’re not friends with still won’t be able to add you or send direct messages, reducing the chance of unwanted interactions.

With Topic Chats, Snapchat is trying to blend the best of private messaging with the excitement of public conversations, giving users a new way to be part of what the world is talking about.