So Facebook copied your product EXACTLY.

Most founders would be devastated — but the way he responded changed social media forever.

"When things are copied, it doesn't hurt innovation."

That was the surprising response from Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel when asked about Instagram stealing Stories.

But instead of insisting on the theft...

Spiegel focused on the opportunity to lead technology in a completely different direction.

This isn't the first time someone has tried to copy Snapchat's features — but previous attempts have failed miserably.

Remember Facebook's "Poke" app?

It was a direct clone of Snapchat's disappearing messages in 2012.

And it failed completely.

But Instagram's approach was different...

"Kevin [Systrom] was very smart," Spiegel explained.

See what Systrom did:

"He simply said he would copy it exactly — not try to make it different or better."

This taught Spiegel a crucial lesson:

To survive, Snapchat needed to build things that were impossible to copy.

Snapchat focused on building an entirely new computing paradigm.

That's why Snapchat launched Spectacles in 2016, 8 years ago.

While everyone was fighting over cell phone screens, Spiegel had bigger plans...

"People are really frustrated because their phones are getting in the way of their everyday lives," he explained.

"But the solution is not to not use technology.

We need to change the way technology works so that it keeps people connected to the real world."

This explains

Snapchat has always been open to the camera, not a content feed.

Meanwhile, Instagram and TikTok are open to feeds that show other people's content first.

This doesn’t happen by accident — it’s a fundamental design philosophy that shapes everything:

"When you open a feed, you're constantly thinking about yourself in comparison to other content." "When that feed is ranked by popularity, it can actually stifle creativity rather than inspire it." And that explains Snapchat's next big bet

Spiegel believes that by the end of this decade, augmented reality glasses will be popular. While Meta and Apple battle over virtual reality headsets that isolate users, Snapchat is developing technology that enhances real-world connections. The vision is:

"I want to sit at home, look out the window, see our four kids running around outside, look at my wife and think, 'They're not getting off the computer!'"

What did he mean?

The next generation of computers must support outdoor activities, physical play, and real human connection.

Not hunched over screens, isolated.

After years of being copied, Snapchat has reached a fascinating turning point:

While competitors focused on copying features, Snapchat was busy building an entirely new technological future.

A future where authenticity trumps perfection.

Even as a creator on Snapchat, you feel this difference:

Snapchat ads convert better. Their users are more engaged. Their community feels more genuine.

This is why creators on Snapchat report stronger business results despite having smaller follower numbers.

The numbers prove it:

According to e-marketing research, social shoppers are more likely to purchase on Snapchat compared to TikTok or Instagram.

Why? Because authentic connection drives real action.

Genuine human connection becomes the ultimate currency.

Spiegel's approach reveals something profound about success in today's digital landscape:

Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a competitive advantage.

When you share your genuine perspective, you create trust that algorithms

In a world of AI-generated content and corporate speak, the human touch becomes your competitive advantage.

People are increasingly buying from people — not faceless companies.

This is why the term "personal brand" has become so important...