Snapchat update lets you create 'Snapcodes' for any website, including porn
A new Snapchat update rolled out to iOS users Tuesday makes it much easier to share online content within the app. It allows users to create so-called Snapcodes for any link, which is as simple as manually entering a URL into an entry field.
This is good news for online content creators hungry to share their pages within the Snapverse, since Snappers won't be forced to exit the app to view them -- they simply have to interact with the code. And it's a win for Snapchat, as users will be less likely to exit the app, pushing engagement and possibly even helping to collect more user data for targeted ad campaigns.
But the most interesting part of the update is that when Snapchat says you can create a Snapcode for any website, they mean ANY website — even if it's patently NSFW.
Creating the Snapcodes is a simple three-step process.
1. Go to settings and select "Snapcodes."
2. Select the "Create Snapcode" option.
3. Enter a URL and press Create.
Like personal Snapcodes, you can personalize the website's code with an image — the app even searches for pics on the webpage you're linking to make it easier. Here's the finished product, which will send you to the byline of yours truly.
From there, the new 'Code is easy to share with friends via text, Snap or by physically taking a pic of the image.
What really got interesting in our demo of the new feature was when we tested other types of websites. The Snapcode Usage Guidelines don't mention any blocked sites for the new service — the only restriction is against using copyrighted images for the picture. With that in mind, we checked a few other, less reputable sites.
Everything worked — including Pornhub (no, we're not including THAT Snapcode here). When asked if there are any content restrictions in place for URLs containing inappropriate materials, Snapchat reps had no comment, but pointed us to Google's Safe Browsing service, which the app uses to "help warn Snapchatters about suspected phishing, malware, and other dangerous websites."
Be careful with those new Snapcodes, then — they could lead to anything.
Topics Snapchat
Brett Williams is a Tech Reporter at Mashable. He writes about tech news, trends and other tangentially related topics with a particular interest in wearables and exercise tech. Prior to Mashable, he wrote for Inked Magazine and Thrillist. Brett's work has also appeared on Fusion and AskMen, to name a few. You can follow Brett on Twitter @bdwilliams910.
