In 2011, Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown were students at Stanford University when they discussed an idea that many people initially found unusual.

What if photos and messages disappeared after being viewed?

At the time, most social media platforms encouraged users to permanently archive their posts. The founders believed people would be more comfortable sharing spontaneous moments if those messages weren’t meant to last forever.

The app launched in 2011 under the name Picaboo before being renamed Snap Inc.‘s flagship app, Snapchat. Early adoption was modest, and many investors questioned whether an app built around disappearing messages could ever become a major business.

They were mistaken.

Snapchat rapidly grew into one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, attracting hundreds of millions of daily active users. The company also introduced Stories in 2013, a feature that proved so influential it was later adopted by platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and others.

What began as a college startup ultimately changed the way people communicate online, popularizing temporary messaging and reshaping the social media industry.