Snapchat kicked off April Fools’ Day 2026 with a pointed joke aimed squarely at rival Meta, temporarily announcing it would rename its short-form video feed, Spotlight, to “Reals” — a place where users can share their “real selves.” The stunt was fake, but the rivalry behind it is very much real.
The prank builds on a running theme from Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, who has long accused Meta of copying Snap’s core features. Spiegel has even gone as far as listing “VP of Product @ Meta” in the About section of his LinkedIn profile to drive the point home publicly.
A Rivalry Rooted in Rejection
The tension between the two companies dates back to 2013, when Meta reportedly offered $3 billion to acquire Snapchat. Spiegel turned the offer down, and according to reports, Zuckerberg took the rejection personally, allegedly warning that Meta would “crush” Snapchat if the deal fell through. Shortly after, Meta launched “Poke,” a Snapchat clone that quickly faded into obscurity.
Imitation as a Competitive Weapon
The copying didn’t stop there. In 2016, Instagram launched its own version of Snapchat’s Stories feature, which eventually overshadowed the original. Given Instagram’s far larger user base, Meta’s scale has consistently worked against Snapchat’s growth — a pattern that has drawn scrutiny from the FTC.
Despite this, Snapchat has carved out its own identity and loyal audience. With AR glasses now on the horizon, the battle between the two companies is set to enter a new chapter — and Snapchat’s “Reals” prank suggests Spiegel has no intention of backing down quietly.