Snapchat is introducing a new feature called Topic Chats, marking one of the company’s most significant shifts toward public conversation since the platform launched. The update brings large, open discussion threads directly into the app, allowing users to talk about trending events, viral clips, or shared interests without leaving the familiar Snapchat interface. Instead of limiting engagement to private messaging or small group threads, Snap is layering public discussion on top of Stories, Spotlight videos, and search results through a simple “Join the Chat” button.
Topic Chats blend three elements that have typically existed separately on social platforms: broad public discussion, clusters of visual content related to a topic, and cues showing which friends are also participating. Snap is attempting to keep the experience rooted in its privacy-first reputation, so users can engage in public threads without exposing their profiles to strangers. You can interact with the conversation and see which friends are present, but your identity remains shielded from the wider group. The feature is rolling out first in the US, Canada, and New Zealand.
For Snapchat, the move is strategic. Public conversation is where competitors like TikTok and X see high engagement, especially around news events, meme cycles, and viral moments. Snap has historically avoided building its model around open comment culture, but Topic Chats let the company tap into that activity without reshaping the rest of the app into a public-facing network. It’s an attempt to keep discussions within Snapchat rather than watching them spill onto other platforms.
For daily users, Topic Chats create a way to participate in major cultural conversations directly from Stories or Spotlight, without switching apps and without opening up your profile. The experience is designed to feel immediate: tap into a chat, contribute what you want, and leave without the permanence or exposure that often comes with traditional comment sections.
Snap says moderation will be a central focus ahead of the global rollout planned for early 2025. The company is promising strict controls to reduce harassment, unwanted DMs, and unsolicited friend requests associated with public spaces. If testing goes well, Snap is likely to expand Topic Chats with new formats and interactive tools once the feature is available worldwide.
