Tech
Snap tells the 1.2 million people who signed a petition to remove the latest Snapchat update that they’re out of luck (SNAP)
The promise came in an official response from the company to a Change.org petition in which 1.2 million signees asked the company to undo its recent Snapchat redesign.
Still, the new app isn’t going anywhere.
Over 1.2 million Snapchat users were rebuffed Wednesday as Snap Inc. officially affirmed its commitment to a contentious new app update introduced early this month.
In an official response on Change.org, where user Nic Rumsey posted a petition called “Remove the new Snapchat Update,” the Snapchat team wrote that “we completely understand the new Snapchat has felt uncomfortable for many.”
The statement said the app would “adapt” to each user and “get smart over time.” It also introduced a coming update to the app it said would add tabs in both Friends and Discover to make it easier for users to sort through stories.
The app update changed the way stories are sorted in an effort to more clearly distinguish between content from people users know and content from brands and celebrities.
In a keynote at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference last week, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said users had complained that they no longer felt as if celebrities were their friends on the app. This, he said, was for the best.
“We’d been thinking about the redesign for a really long time because we were frustrated that when you looked at the [app], both sides looked the same,” Spiegel said. “We’re excited about what we’re seeing so far. Even the complaints we’re seeing reinforce the philosophy. The frustrations we’re seeing really validate those changes.”
Snapchat Refuses To Change App Design Despite 1million Petitions
The Change.org petition, less than a month old, had 1,224,987 signatures at press time — most of the way to its goal of 1.5 million signatures.
Here’s the full statement:
To Nic and all of the Snapchatters who signed this petition,
We hear you, and appreciate that you took the time to let us know how you feel. We completely understand the new Snapchat has felt uncomfortable for many.
By putting everything from your friends in one place, our goal was to make it easier to connect with the people you care about most. The new Friends page will adapt to you and get smarter over time, reflecting who you’re most likely to be Snapping with at that moment. This same personalization is also true of the new Discover, which will adapt to you the more that you use it.
Beginning soon on iOS, and with Android in the coming weeks, we are introducing tabs in Friends and Discover, which will make it easier to find the Stories that you want, when you want them. Once you receive the update, you’ll be able to sort things like Stories, Group Chats, and Subscriptions, allowing you to further customize your own experience on the app.
This new foundation is just the beginning, and we will always listen closely to find new ways to make the service better for everyone. We are grateful for your enthusiasm and creativity. We are very excited for what’s ahead.
Love,
Team Snapchat
