Snapchat is reportedly considering the idea of introducing permanent photo and video posts.
Also, in another stark contrast to what Snapchat is known for, the platform may also reveal identities of users who publish public posts.
Currently, Snapchat only displays usernames which could be completely anonymous.
Reuters was first to break this news, saying the information was received by “people familiar with the matter.”
These changes would only affect content shared to “Our Story,” which allows posts to be seen by people outside of a user’s circle of friends.
Snapchat built its platform on giving users the ability to publish photos and videos that disappeared after 24 hours.
Users now have the option to create public posts that stay on the network for up to 90 days.
Making posts last permanently would be the total opposite of what Snapchat is known for.
This change is reportedly being considered in an effort to appease Snapchat’s news partners, who say the temporary nature of public posts makes them hard to work with.
News organizations are said to be reluctant to embed Snapchat stories into articles because they will eventually disappear. The content is also difficult to verify as users are anonymous.
Implementing changes that make content more useful to partners serves Snapchat’s interests as a publicly traded company.
In theory, Snapchat could generate more advertising revenue if its content was visible for a longer period of time.
Snapchat has not released an official statement regarding any of these changes, and Reuters says the company declined to comment.
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