The answer to this question is literally on the first page of a google for "snapchat patent stories"
https://www.wired.com/2016/08/instagrams-snapchat-ripoff-bra...
“The idea of featured ‘Stories’ is not new, so any patents would likely be quite specific to implementation details,” says Wagner. “And because the implementation/interfaces are slightly different, copyright doesn’t provide any protection. This is an area where IP laws don’t prevent the copying of another’s features or innovations.”
There wasn't a question in my comment. And I'm not sure how much value there is in a generic comment about intellectual property from a professor because the journalist needed a quote for their story.
>>> "if they do and they aren't, they're idiotic"
There's an implicit question, or at least an admission of ignorance.
Ok - so let us all believe in you since you are such an expert in patent law?
Do you really think that the idea of patenting "story" wouldn't have come across Snap given that is their main revenue driving feature? Do you think FB should have patented NF back when it was the first one who launched it?
I can't think of a better recent example than the story of Snapchat and Facebook's ripping them off in favor of patents.