Evan Spiegel, the CEO and co-founder of Snap Inc., has once again made headlines—not for a new Snapchat feature, but for an unexpected jab at Meta. In a bold and cheeky move, Spiegel recently updated his LinkedIn profile to include the title “VP Product @ Meta”, taking a direct dig at Mark Zuckerberg’s social media giant for its long history of copying Snapchat’s features.
The trolling move was subtle but effective, igniting conversations across the internet and drawing attention to Meta’s copy-paste strategy, which has been a recurring theme since 2016.
Born in 1990 in Los Angeles, Evan Spiegel is one of the youngest self-made billionaires in tech. He studied product design at Stanford University, where he and his co-founders developed Snapchat in 2011—a revolutionary app designed for users to share fleeting moments.
Despite facing stiff competition from industry giants, Spiegel has managed to keep Snapchat innovative, introducing features such as Stories, disappearing messages, and AR filters—many of which were later copied by Meta.
Meta’s Copy-Paste Strategy: A History of Borrowed Features
Spiegel’s LinkedIn troll may have come years after Meta first borrowed ideas from Snapchat, but it serves as a reminder of the long-standing battle between the two tech giants.
1. Instagram Stories: The First Big Copy (2016)
In August 2016, Meta launched Instagram Stories, a feature that allowed users to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. This was an exact replica of Snapchat’s Stories, which had been one of its most popular features.
Instagram’s massive user base gave Stories a huge boost, and within a year, the feature surpassed Snapchat in daily active users.
2. Facebook and WhatsApp Stories (2017)
Not stopping at Instagram, Meta rolled out Stories across all its platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp. This move cemented the format as a social media staple, but it also solidified Meta’s reputation for copying Snapchat.
3. The Copycat Camera Interface (2016-2017)
A few months after Instagram Stories launched, Facebook Messenger introduced a new camera interface that was almost identical to Snapchat’s. This included the ability to add filters, stickers, and text to photos before sending them.
4. Disappearing Direct Messages (2017)
In 2017, Meta introduced “Direct”, a feature that enabled users to send photos and videos that disappear after being viewed—again, a direct copy of Snapchat’s core functionality.
By this time, it was clear that Meta was not just inspired by Snapchat—it was actively replicating its features in an attempt to retain users and compete in the fast-changing social media landscape.
Spiegel’s LinkedIn update didn’t go unnoticed. Users on X (formerly Twitter) quickly praised him for calling out Meta’s copying tactics. Some social media users even joked that Meta might introduce a new feature soon, called “LinkedIn Stories”, in response to Spiegel’s trolling.
The reaction highlights how the rivalry between Snap and Meta remains a hot topic in the tech world. While Meta may have successfully adopted Snapchat’s ideas, Spiegel’s LinkedIn update shows that he hasn’t forgotten the battle.
Despite Meta’s aggressive copying, Snapchat has managed to survive and thrive by continuously innovating:
Augmented Reality (AR) Filters: Snap was one of the first to introduce AR-powered Lenses, allowing users to transform their faces, add effects, and create interactive content.
Snap Originals & Spotlight: The platform launched exclusive short-form content and a TikTok-like feature to keep users engaged.
Snapchat+ Subscription Service: In response to changing revenue models, Snap introduced a premium subscription for exclusive features.
These efforts have helped Snapchat remain relevant, even as Meta continues to absorb its ideas.
Spiegel’s LinkedIn troll is more than just a lighthearted jab—it highlights a broader issue in the tech industry: innovation vs. replication.
While platforms like Snapchat take risks to introduce new features, companies like Meta use their massive scale to absorb and distribute these ideas to a larger audience.
This raises questions about competition, creativity, and fair play in the industry. Should tech giants innovate on their own, or is it inevitable that they will copy smaller platforms to stay competitive?
Evan Spiegel’s LinkedIn update might have been a simple joke, but it successfully revived discussions about Meta’s long history of copying Snapchat’s features. It also showcased Spiegel’s confidence in Snapchat’s ability to innovate despite competition from one of the world’s biggest tech giants.
While Meta may have the resources to copy and scale, Snapchat still holds its ground as a trendsetter in social media. And if Spiegel’s playful LinkedIn troll is anything to go by, he isn’t afraid to call out the copycats.
For now, the battle between Snapchat and Meta continues—but Spiegel has undoubtedly scored a witty victory in the ongoing rivalry.
