Snapchat Company News & Analysis — The Information

Recent Articles about Snapchat

Art by Clark Miller.

‘Everyone’s Desperate’: Consumer Startups Bet on Mobile Big Brother Billboards

By Ann Gehan · Nov 29, 2024 10:00am PST · 2 comments

When Huel, a London-based startup that sells protein bars and powdered meals, was plotting an expansion push into America earlier this year, the company’s executives knew they needed to make a splash. Huel’s $200 million in annual revenue came from online sales mostly in Europe—in the U.S., it hoped to win over customers in... When Huel, a London-based startup that sells protein bars and powdered meals, was plotting an...

Photo via Shutterstock

Creator Economy

Google Hosts Website Creators as Search Complaints Grow

By Catherine Perloff and Kaya Yurieff · Nov 14, 2024 2:20pm PST · 1 comment

Any creator who relies on Google search to drive readers to their websites is used to changes in the search engine’s powerful algorithm. But some recent updates have been so disruptive that Google made a rare overture to these small publishers: In late October, it invited several to its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters to hear their... Any creator who relies on Google search to drive readers to their websites is used to changes in...

Photos via Getty.

Reddit Passes Snap

By Martin Peers · Nov 5, 2024 5:00pm PST

You’re likely distracted right now by election results, which have surely started rolling in as you’re reading. Rather than add to all the premature speculation on the topic, we think creating an election-free zone would be more useful. Below we recommend some things you can do tonight other than watch the news channels.Before we get to that,... You’re likely distracted right now by election results, which have surely started rolling in as...

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Google Cloud’s Surge

By Martin Peers · Oct 29, 2024 5:00pm PDT · 2 comments

Photo via Getty

Google Cloud’s Surge

By Martin Peers · Oct 29, 2024 5:00pm PDT · 2 comments

Google may have calmed some nerves on Wall Street on Tuesday. It delivered a third-quarter result showing a sharp acceleration in Google Cloud’s growth rate, to a bumper 35%, from 29% in the second quarter. CEO Sundar Pichai credited that performance in part to the company’s AI portfolio, which he said was helping it win new customers as well as... Google may have calmed some nerves on Wall Street on Tuesday. It delivered a third-quarter result...

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Creator Economy

Snap, YouTube Highlight Strength in Subscriptions

By Sylvia Varnham O'Regan · Oct 29, 2024 3:41pm PDT

It’s time for internet companies to report their quarterly results. One takeaway so far? While digital advertising is still most important for Snapchat and YouTube, subscription revenue is driving growth. Here’s the rundown:SnapThe company’s subscription service, Snapchat+, now has 12 million subscribers, up from 11 million subscribers last... It’s time for internet companies to report their quarterly results. One takeaway so far? While...

Tezza Barton, co-founder of photo and video editing app Tezza. Photo courtesy of Barton

Creator Economy

2024’s Most Promising Creator Startups

By Kaya Yurieff · Oct 24, 2024 2:00pm PDT

On Thursday, The Information released its annual list of the 50 Most Promising Startups, which included six companies focused on providing services for creators and consumers. We chose companies that we think have the potential to be the most valuable businesses in their sectors based on our reporting, including their revenue and... On Thursday, The Information released its annual list of the 50 Most Promising Startups, which...

Photo via YouTube/Call Her Daddy.

Creator Economy

Podcasts Emerge as Battleground for Trump and Harris

By Rocket Drew · Oct 23, 2024 3:02pm PDT

With only 12 days (!) left before the presidential election, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are still trying to reach potential voters. One way is by appearing on popular podcasts, where they can speak to listeners directly—and often avoid tougher questions from traditional journalists. As the chart below shows, Trump has been on at... With only 12 days (!) left before the presidential election, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are...

U.S. Creator Startup Funding Drops, Ending Two Quarter Rebound

U.S. Creator Startup Funding Drops, Ending Two Quarter Rebound

By Kaya Yurieff · Oct 17, 2024 2:17pm PDT

U.S. Creator Startup Funding Drops, Ending Two Quarter Rebound

Creator Economy

U.S. Creator Startup Funding Drops, Ending Two Quarter Rebound

By Kaya Yurieff · Oct 17, 2024 2:17pm PDT

The rebound in funding for creator startups has faded.Funding for U.S. creator economy startups fell nearly 16% to $253.1 million during the September quarter compared to a year earlier, according to the latest update to The Information’s Creator Economy Database. Globally, funding for creator-related startups dropped about 20% to $415.8 million... The rebound in funding for creator startups has faded.Funding for U.S. creator economy startups...

Who Will Save the Kids From Bad Tech?

Who Will Save the Kids From Bad Tech?

By Abram Brown · Oct 12, 2024 7:00am PDT

Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: Ben Horowitz, an investor of many contrasts • Social Media: The moms at war with social media• The Top 5: Our favorite protein bars • From AI to Chelsea Clinton’s Plea, Inside The Information’s Latest WTF Summit • Plus: SF’s nerd mecca; the videogame company obsessed... Welcome, Weekenders! In this newsletter:• The Big Read: Ben Horowitz, an investor of many...

Art by Clark Miller

Mad Moms Stigmatized Drunk Driving. Their Next Target: Social Media

By Paris Martineau · Oct 12, 2024 5:00am PDT · 1 comment

When Andrew Gounardes needed help rallying support for two social media bills he’d introduced in the New York State Senate earlier this year, he knew who to call: Mothers Against Media Addiction. The New York-based nonprofit parental advocacy group had caught Gounardes’ attention even before it officially launched in March, thanks to... When Andrew Gounardes needed help rallying support for two social media bills he’d...

Photo by Leon Neal/Getty.

Roblox’s Kids Cesspool

By Martin Peers · Oct 8, 2024 5:00pm PDT · 1 comment

The term “social media” is beginning to be synonymous with “cesspool for children.” A Wall Street short seller’s report out today about Roblox, an online kids’ gaming service, painted a picture of a site you wouldn’t want your worst enemy to visit, let alone your children. It came the same day as attorneys general from a dozen states sued TikTok... The term “social media” is beginning to be synonymous with “cesspool for children.” A Wall Street...

ShopMy cofounders Harry Rein, Tiffany Lopinsky, and Chris Tinsley.

How a Social Shopping Startup Is Gaining Ground

By Ann Gehan · Oct 3, 2024 2:49pm PDT

ShopMy cofounders Harry Rein, Tiffany Lopinsky, and Chris Tinsley.

Creator Economy

How a Social Shopping Startup Is Gaining Ground

By Ann Gehan · Oct 3, 2024 2:49pm PDT

When ShopMy first launched in 2020, it looked a lot like the popular creator startup LTK. Both help creators to set up personalized links to shopping pages they could share on social media sites, giving them a way to earn commissions from brands by promoting products. ShopMy, whose backers include Inspired Capital and AlleyCorp,... When ShopMy first launched in 2020, it looked a lot like the popular creator startup LTK. Both...

Photo by Getty

The Cynic’s Guide to OpenAI’s Megaround

By Cory Weinberg · Oct 2, 2024 5:00pm PDT · 1 comment

Sam Altman should organize a celebration dinner for the men behind the largest venture capital funding round ever. I’d love to overhear SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son give advice to Thrive’s Joshua Kushner on how to avoid giving too much money to charismatic tech founders. Imagine seeing Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella fight over... Sam Altman should organize a celebration dinner for the men behind the largest venture capital...

Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, in September. Photo via Getty.

Snapchat’s Safety Struggle

By Erin Woo · Oct 1, 2024 5:00pm PDT

Snap likes to cast its Snapchat app as “an antidote to social media.” Unlike its rival social media apps, Snapchat was “designed to be safe” for kids, the company claims. But designing something to be safe and actually making it safe aren’t the same things.How Snap has fallen short on this front became clear from an unredacted version of a... Snap likes to cast its Snapchat app as “an antidote to social media.” Unlike its rival social...

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. Photo by Getty

Instagram’s Teen Safety Act

By Martin Peers · Sep 17, 2024 5:00pm PDT

Meta Platforms has come a long way from the “move fast” days. Instagram’s much-ballyhooed announcement on Tuesday—aimed at protecting teens from creepy adult stalkers as well as from bombardment by overnight notifications—will surely be welcomed by many parents and perhaps politicians. But it took several years of incremental Instagram... Meta Platforms has come a long way from the “move fast” days. Instagram’s much-ballyhooed...