Snap Inc Results Presentation Deck
Note Regarding User Metrics and Other Data
We define a Daily Active User, or DAU, as a registered Snapchat user who opens the Snapchat application at least once during a defined 24-hour period. We calculate average DAUs for
a particular quarter by adding the number of DAUs on each day of that quarter and dividing that sum by the number of days in that quarter. DAUs are broken out by geography because
markets have different characteristics. We define average revenue per user, or ARPU, as quarterly revenue divided by the average DAUS. For purposes of calculating ARPU, revenue by
user geography is apportioned to each region based on our determination of the geographic location in which advertising impressions are delivered, as this approximates revenue
based on user activity. This allocation differs from our components of revenue disclosure in the notes to our consolidated financial statements, where revenue is based on the billing
address of the advertising customer.
Unless otherwise stated, statistical information regarding our users and their activities is determined by calculating the daily average of the selected activity for the most recently
completed quarter.
While these metrics are determined based on what we believe to be reasonable estimates of our user base for the applicable period of measurement, there are inherent challenges in
measuring how our products are used across large populations globally. For example, there may be individuals who have unauthorized or multiple Snapchat accounts, even though we
forbid that in our Terms of Service and implement measures to detect and suppress that behavior. We have not determined the number of such multiple accounts. Changes in our
products, infrastructure, mobile operating systems, or metric tracking system, or the introduction of new products, may impact our ability to accurately determine active users or other
metrics and we may not determine such inaccuracies promptly. We also believe that we don't capture all data regarding each of our active users. Technical issues may result in data not
being recorded from every user's application. For example, because some Snapchat features can be used without internet connectivity, we may not count a DAU because we don't
receive timely notice that a user has opened the Snapchat application. This undercounting may increase as we grow in Rest of World markets where users may have poor connectivity.
We do not adjust our reported metrics to reflect this underreporting. We believe that we have adequate controls to collect user metrics, however, there is no uniform industry standard.
We continually seek to identify these technical issues and improve both our accuracy and precision, including ensuring that our investors and others can understand the factors impacting
our business, but these and new issues may continue in the future, including if there continues to be no uniform industry standard.
Some of our demographic data may be incomplete or inaccurate. For example, because users self-report their dates of birth, our age-demographic data may differ from our users' actual
ages. And because users who signed up for Snapchat before June 2013 were not asked to supply their date of birth, we may exclude those users from our age demographics or estimate
their ages based on a sample of the self-reported ages that we do have. If our active users provide us with incorrect or incomplete information regarding their age or other attributes,
then our estimates may prove inaccurate and fail to meet investor expectations.
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