# Why in gods name is Snapchat worth $3 billion **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 21, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819 "2016-01-21T20:33:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GlowingDarkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f04885/32.png) [@GlowingDarkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GlowingDarkness)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/1 "2016-01-21T20:33:21Z")
And should a responsible parent really allow their kids to use it? The app claims to lose photos but one can easily take a screenshot (even though it notifies the other individual what are they going to do to be honest?) or download an app to save the images.Can you imagine how a teens life can be ruined by this if they send nude images. If you have kids do you/would you let them use it? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/2 "2016-01-21T21:09:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Why in gods name is Snapchat worth $3 billion [Easy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snapchat). From article: > [@](#): > > Snapchat eventually came to develop a larger focus on its “Stories” functionality, which allows users to compile snaps into a “story” that can be viewed by other users in chronological order, with each snap available for 24 hours after its posting. Alongside users’ stories, Snapchat also features curated “live stories”, with content from various users focusing on a specific theme or event, as well as channels of short-form content from major publishers. > > According to Snapchat, in May 2015 the app’s users were sending 2 billion photos and videos per day, while Snapchat Stories content was being viewed 500 million times per day. In November 2015 the number reached 6 billion of videos per day.[8] The company has a valuation of $10–$20 billion, depending on the source.[9] In 2016, Snapchat hits 7 billion daily videos views.[10] So, it’s worth that kind of money because of the massive volume of people using it daily. According to this you are actually off by an order of magnitude (well, almost) in your $3 billion figure, though of course in the end it’s worth what someone is willing to pay for it. > [@](#): > > And should a responsible parent really allow their kids to use it? The app claims to lose photos but one can easily take a screenshot (even though it notifies the other individual what are they going to do to be honest?) or download an app to save the images.Can you imagine how a teens life can be ruined by this if they send nude images. Same with YouTube or other forms of media. I’m sure they have expert systems that detect inappropriate content and delete it when found, and rely on the user community to flag stuff that’s missed (rather like on this board wrt Mods), but anything can be abused. If teens are going to be snapping nude photos of themselves, though, they can simply email or IM them to each other if they really want to. If you are a concerned parent then you can warn your kids about this, not give them a smart phone or I suppose padlock their privates like in the old days and only unchain them once they get to be 21. Other than that, you kind of have to trust them while supervising them. Relying on Snapchat or YouTube or anyone else to do that for you is kind of a bad idea. > [@](#): > > If you have kids do you/would you let them use it? My kids didn’t get Smartphones and data plans until they could pay for them on their own, with outside jobs (i.e. not via their allowances), which pretty much meant that they didn’t get them until they were out of the house and working on their own. By which time I figured they needed to step up and live their own lives, including if they were stupid enough to snap pictures of their junk to post for all to see (none of them seem that stupid). I did warn them all about the various foibles of the internet and to protect themselves, but at a certain point it’s on them. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/3 "2016-01-21T21:14:28Z")
A lot of tech companies have crazy-ass valuations. There’s even a term “unicorn” for startups with valuations of over a billion dollars. That used to be unusual but there are a bunch (like over a hundred) of them today with values that high, even though they’re not even public. Note that a few have had to lower their valuations as they’ve become public, because they were over-valued. In short, there’s almost certain a bubble in tech company valuations and a reckoning to come soon. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/4 "2016-01-21T21:19:07Z")
> [@GlowingDarkness](#): > > And should a responsible parent really allow their kids to use it? The app claims to lose photos but one can easily take a screenshot (even though it notifies the other individual what are they going to do to be honest?) or download an app to save the images.Can you imagine how a teens life can be ruined by this if they send nude images. > > If you have kids do you/would you let them use it? my kids are over 18, so they get to make their own decisions. If I had learned about snapchat a few years ago, I would have let them use it. I’m sure there are plenty of things you can do with that App besides nude photos. And, as XT points, out, there are many ways you can send nude photos without snapchat, or even a smart phone. I spent zero time when my kids were teenagers worrying about them ruining their lives through nude photography. I had plenty of more pressing things to worry about them doing. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/5 "2016-01-21T21:25:30Z")
The difference is that unlike other video and picture hosting sites, snapchat can give a false sense of security. That it’s NOT forever. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/6 "2016-01-21T21:36:46Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The difference is that unlike other video and picture hosting sites, snapchat can give a false sense of security. That it’s NOT forever. It seems like that wouldn’t be too hard to explain to a teenager, if you were concerned. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/7 "2016-01-21T21:44:48Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > It seems like that wouldn’t be too hard to explain to a teenager, if you were concerned. Sure just thought it should be pointed out that it’s not just like other hosting. ---
**Author:** ![ElderSign](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eldersign/32/8263_2.png) [@ElderSign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElderSign)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/8 "2016-01-22T00:50:35Z")
Most parents are not responsible themselves when it comes to privacy online or smart phone use. As others have said, website valuation is all about number of subscribers/hits. Look what it did for Facebook and Twitter for their IPOs. One just has to type “save snapchat messages” in a search engine and see how to make those naughty images permanent. Based on my conversations with teens, they go to Snapchat to hide from their moms on Facebook, since their moms constantly comment on their posts and embarrass them. But naughty or gross pics seem to be a huge use for that website, or at least sending quick pics to their significant others or “admirers” online. The two circle of teens I know in real life won’t admit to nudes, but obviously seeing certain clothed poses of your classmate is hot to teens. The FBI has already issued warnings about predators, but no one believes them. There are occasional news stories about kids and teens swapping nude pics, which is kiddie porn. It does not damage Snapchat. Back in the day I could imagine conservative or religious groups putting an end to such a medium (as they rallied law enforcement to pressure craigslist to get rid of the hooker section a few years ago), but the Progressives, Libertarians, and Anarchists obviously love teen sex, so… The new normal is about kids and teens being online doing whatever they want and meeting whoever they want. Parents are mostly permissive and don’t want to be seen as being mean. The parents I know who attempt to limit iPhone time (who uses a PC or the WWW from that generation) get into fights with their teens. Too little too late to start trying to discipline teens after not being strict all of their lives. > [@GlowingDarkness](#): > > And should a responsible parent really allow their kids to use it? The app claims to lose photos but one can easily take a screenshot (even though it notifies the other individual what are they going to do to be honest?) or download an app to save the images.Can you imagine how a teens life can be ruined by this if they send nude images. > > If you have kids do you/would you let them use it? ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/9 "2016-01-22T01:20:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > A lot of tech companies have crazy-ass valuations. There’s even a term “unicorn” for startups with valuations of over a billion dollars. That used to be unusual but there are a bunch (like over a hundred) of them today with values that high, even though they’re not even public. Note that a few have had to lower their valuations as they’ve become public, because they were over-valued. > > In short, there’s almost certain a bubble in tech company valuations and a reckoning to come soon. In fact, Snapchat’s valuation was $16 billion over the summer. It dropped to $12 billion in November. If it’s at $3 billion now, four months later, they might be in real trouble. As far as teens’ lives being ruined forever by nude pics - that mostly depends on how hysterical the grown ups in their lives act about it. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/10 "2016-01-22T03:38:17Z")
I don’t see a debate brewing. Off to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/11 "2016-01-22T03:42:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > A lot of tech companies have crazy-ass valuations. There’s even a term “unicorn” for startups with valuations of over a billion dollars. That used to be unusual but there are a bunch (like over a hundred) of them today with values that high, even though they’re not even public. Note that a few have had to lower their valuations as they’ve become public, because they were over-valued. The crazy valuations are mostly due to the potential for targeted advertising to the user base. Apps like snapchat give much much better demographics and ad targeting stats than traditional media. Apparently they have 100 million users, two thirds of which log on every day. The valuation is also based on their future growth potential which is considerable especially in asia. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/12 "2016-01-22T16:00:43Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > The crazy valuations are mostly due to the potential for targeted advertising to the user base. Apps like snapchat give much much better demographics and ad targeting stats than traditional media. Apparently they have 100 million users, two thirds of which log on every day. The valuation is also based on their future growth potential which is considerable especially in asia. Indeed. It’s all about ad targeting. Currently Snapchat has some curated stuff (called Stories). Maybe that is monetized (but I’m not entirely sure), but at the very least it can be very easily I’d imagine. I use Snapchat, mainly with my girlfriend, but no dirty pics, sorry ;). It’s kind of a fun messaging platform. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/13 "2016-01-22T17:27:38Z")
> [@GlowingDarkness](#): > > Can you imagine how a teens life can be ruined **by this** if they send nude images. > > If you have kids do you/would you let them use it? I’m not sure I’d blame _ **Snapchat** _ in that instance, but the parents. If your children are considering sending nude pictures across the inter-webs, you have failed as a parent along the way. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/14 "2016-01-22T19:01:26Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > If your children are considering sending nude pictures across the inter-webs, you have failed as a parent along the way. If you’re teaching your teens to be ashamed of themselves and that sexuality is evil then you’ve failed as a parent along the way. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/15 "2016-01-22T19:08:39Z")
> [@ElderSign](#): > > Back in the day I could imagine conservative or religious groups putting an end to such a medium (as they rallied law enforcement to pressure craigslist to get rid of the hooker section a few years ago), but the Progressives, Libertarians, and Anarchists obviously love teen sex, so… What’s not to love? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/16 "2016-01-22T19:51:54Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > If you’re teaching your teens to be ashamed of themselves and that sexuality is evil then you’ve failed as a parent along the way. Teaching them that those things aren’t evil has nothing to do with them sending nudes. Unless you think that for you to teach them that you tell them they **have** to send nudes. ---
**Author:** ![tombennett91](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@tombennett91](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tombennett91)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/17 "2016-01-22T22:04:32Z")
First I’ve heard of this, wonder if he himself could afford it. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/18 "2016-01-23T02:45:42Z")
What is snapchat worth? Well, tough to really say given that it does not publicly trade on a stock exchange. The common “implied” valuation is based on whatever hedge fund paid for the last stake holding. It’s a type of market valuation but it’s not what one can call a liquid or proven market like a stock on a stock exchange. Second, is to look at Snapchat’s revenue and profit. It’s not a public company and not traded. This [site claims in 2015](http://www.businesspundit.com/snapchats-revenue-in-2015-show-signs-of-a-19-billion-company/)Snapchat is targeting around $50m in revenue (not profit) Do you think a company that has $50M in revenue and is probably losing money is worth $3, $10, $18 billion dollars? Maybe IF and it’s a gargantuan IF Snapchat can increase their revenue by at least 50x and generate at least a half a billion dollars of net profit. IF Snapchat can’t get to that level in the next few years, it’s not “worth” much. And you also need to look at cash flow and if Snapchat has the money required to increase their revenue. Me, I lean toward it being a pink unicorn. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/19 "2016-01-23T13:20:13Z")
Kids did actually wind up with issues with Snapchat and sending nudes or other pics they didn’t want to last forever. Its whole purpose for existing was the concept that such activities were safe, and it is what made it popular in the first place. There was a big storm the first time there was a big case with someone’s Snapchat photos being saved. But most have learned to deal with this. The most common thing is to just cut off your face. It isn’t foolproof, as sometimes people recognize the location or distinct body characteristics from other photos that do have your face, but even then there’s at least plausible deniability. And, yeah, the figure is much more line with what I think it’s worth now, since people know there’s no real inherent advantage to using Snapchat over other sites. It’s just slightly more convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819/20 "2016-01-23T14:21:00Z")
It’s worth that much because people younger than you and me use it all of the time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-in-gods-name-is-snapchat-worth-3-billion/743819.md?page=2)