Snapchat has rolled out a new feature dubbed “Topic Chats,” inviting users to dive into public discussions surrounding the latest trends . While the platform has historically prioritized private messaging, Snap acknowledges that the rising popularity of its TikTok-rival Spotlight signaled a clear user desire: people want a public space to talk about the things they love .
Initially rolling out to users in Canada, New Zealand, and the US , Topic Chats will pop up across the app as a prominent yellow button inviting you to “Join the Chat.” Tapping that button drops you into the conversation, where you can also explore relevant Spotlight videos. To illustrate the potential, the company highlighted topics ranging from Formula 1 racing to the reality series Below Deck as examples of the conversations users can expect .
The feature is designed to keep you connected , showing you exactly when your friends are active in a specific chat ; any discussion you join gets pinned to the top of your personalized Topic Chat page. Safety remains a priority, however . Snap confirmed to TechCrunchthat it is deploying Large Language Models (LLMs) alongside other tools to keep discussions appropriate. Crucially, user profiles stay private to non-friends , a move Snap promises will block unwanted DMs and friend requests.
You can expect Topic Chats to go live over the next few weeks . Keep an eye out for them in Chat shortcuts, the Stories page, or whenever you are searching for or watching Spotlight content .
