Snapchat adds Topic Chats to let users join trending conversations anonymously
It could make it easier to jump into big cultural moments without worrying about random people finding or adding you.
Snapchat is doing something it hasn’t done in almost a decade: talking publicly. The platform known for disappearing messages and close-friend DMs is rolling out a new feature called Topic Chats, opening the door to group conversations about trending events, sports, TV shows, and whatever the internet is obsessing over.
You’ll now be able to jump into a chat with strangers who are Snapchatters but not your friends and share your thoughts in real time. But the thing is, while you can talk publicly, Snapchat still doesn’t want you to meet people.
Profiles remain hidden to anyone outside your friends list. You’ll show up with a display name (not your username), and nobody can click through to your profile or search you. So, you can give your hot-take publicly, without receiving unwanted friend requests from someone who disagrees with your opinion on Lewis Hamilton’s race strategy.
Louis Eriakha
To keep these chatrooms from turning into chaos, Snapchat says it’s bringing in LLM-powered moderation (yes, AI is now the chat police). Topic Chats will follow community guidelines, and the app promises to flag violators, send warnings, and even block accounts that misbehave. Users can also report messages manually.
And to keep the party going, Topic Chats will serve related Spotlight videos (Snapchat’s version of TikTok clips) alongside conversations, connecting memes, chats, and reactions in one rabbit hole.
Users in Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. will start seeing Topic Chats in a few weeks. Look out for a big yellow “Join the Chat” button on Stories or Spotlight videos. You’ll also spot them in Search, Stories, and Chat shortcuts. And if you’re wondering how long your messages will survive… this is still Snapchat, sort of. But unlike regular chats, Topic Chats will stick around for up to five years.
The takeaway
Snapchat has always been the “friends only” app. But as TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) continue to dominate public conversations, Snap is testing the waters without letting go of its privacy-first identity. Whether this evolves into a fully public social space or remains a semi-private fandom hub could shape how Gen Z communicates online. One thing’s for sure: the world is about to start chatting on Snapchat loudly, but anonymously.
Emmanuel Umahi
