Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will work to distance Snapchat from some of its most heavily scrutinized competitors on Wednesday, emphasizing to lawmakers that Snapchat works differently from the likes of Instagram or TikTok.
In prepared testimony reviewed by CNN, Spiegel will say that on average, most Snapchat users connect directly with their friends.
“We designed Snapchat to open into the camera, instead of a content feed, to encourage creativity instead of passive consumption,” Spiegel will testify. “When people share their Story with friends on Snapchat there are no public likes or comments.”
Spiegel’s testimony goes on to highlight steps the company has taken to limit unwanted contacts between users, the spread of child sexual abuse material and illicit drug deals on the platform.
“We block drug-related search terms and redirect people searching for drugs to educational materials on our service,” including public awareness campaigns created by third-party groups, according to the prepared remarks. A California judge recently ruled that Snap must face a lawsuit over children’s fentanyl purchases linked to the app.
Spiegel is also emphasizing his company’s endorsement of the Kids Online Safety Act, a hot-button bill sponsored by Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn that is opposed by much of the rest of the tech industry.
