Privacy, Safety, and Policy Hub
Community Guidelines

Sexual Content

Community Guidelines Explainer Series.

Updated: January 2024

Overview

We protect Snapchatters from harmful or abusive content.

To that end, we’ve developed our Community Guidelines with the aim of ensuring users can comfortably express themselves and communicate freely on Snapchat, without being exposed to unsolicited sexual content or abuse. These policies prohibit sharing, promoting or distributing sexually explicit content – which covers a range of content including pornography, sexual nudity or offers of sexual services – and condemns in the strongest terms any content that exploits children.

  • We prohibit any activity that involves sexual exploitation or abuse of a minor, including sharing child sexual exploitation or abuse imagery, grooming or sexual extortion (sextortion), or the sexualisation of children. We report all identified instances of child sexual exploitation to authorities, including attempts to engage in such conduct. Never post, save, send, forward, distribute or ask for nude or sexually explicit content involving anyone under the age of 18 (this includes sending or saving such images of yourself).

  • We prohibit promoting, distributing or sharing pornographic content, as well as commercial activities that relate to pornography or sexual interactions (whether online or offline).

  • Breastfeeding and other depictions of nudity in non-sexual contexts are generally permitted.

What you should expect

Pornographic content is prohibited, including nudity where the primary intention is sexual arousal or nudity that depicts sexual arousal.

Examples of pornographic content include photos or videos, or even highly realistic animation, drawings or other renderings of explicit sex acts. But it does not apply, for example, to nudity where the purpose is artistic expression, or the appearance of nudity in non-sexual contexts like breastfeeding, medical procedures, or current or historical events in the public interest.

These policies also prohibit offers of sexual services, including both offline services (such as, for example, erotic massage) and online experiences (such as, for example, offering sexual chat or video services).

The sexual exploitation of any member of our community, especially minors, is illegal, unacceptable and prohibited. Exploitation may include sex trafficking; efforts to coerce or entice users to provide nudes; as well as any behaviour that uses intimate imagery or sexual material to pressure or threaten members of our Community. We prohibit any communication or behaviour that attempts to persuade or coerce a minor with the intent of sexual abuse or exploitation, or which leverages fear or shame to keep a minor silent.

How we enforce these policies

Content that violates our Community Guidelines will be subject to removal.

Users who share, promote or distribute violating content will be notified of the violation. Severe or repeated violations of our policies will impact a user’s account access.

If you ever receive or see a Snap that you believe is sexually explicit – if you feel uncomfortable at all – don’t hesitate to use our in-app reporting menu. Those reports are reviewed for action in ways that help to protect reporting users’ privacy and safety. We also encourage users to consider blocking unwelcome messages.

Our high-reach surfaces, including Spotlight and Discover, are subject to proactive monitoring and other safeguards. These platforms may occasionally feature suggestive content that is not deemed sexually explicit (for example, revealing swimwear); however, users are strongly encouraged to report any content that you feel is inconsistent with our Community Guidelines.

Preventing, detecting and eradicating Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Imagery (CSEAI) on our platform is a top priority for us, and we continuously evolve our capabilities to address CSEAI and other types of child sexually exploitative content. We report violations of these policies to the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), as required by law. NCMEC then, in turn, coordinates with domestic or international law enforcement, as required.

Takeaway

Our goal is to foster a safe community where Snapchatters can express themselves, and we do not tolerate sexually explicit or exploitative content. If you ever feel uncomfortable, do not hesitate to reach out to a trusted person in your life, report violating content and block any offending users.