Snapchat is a social media app where users can share photos and videos and can private message each other. Unlike other social media apps, user content and interactions often are deleted (on the front end, but also, on the back end) by default. Snapchat also markets through cartoon images and is known for its funny filters, and similar features, which gives the impression of its being an application for kids. Today, around 30 percent of U.S. teens use it daily.
The basics
- Snaps and Stories disappear after 24 hours.
- Messages are deleted after being viewed unless saved (Snapchat also has various features that may result in deletion even where saved).
- Group Chats can last up to a week.
- Users can save snaps to their dashboards.
- Users can also save and share content.
- Snapchat makes “friend” suggestions through a feature called Quick Add.
- Snapchat has various gamification features that appeal to children, and that involve rewards for greater engagement with the app
Snapchat features
- Snap Score: point system based on user activity and displayed next to usernames, such that it may be considered a symbol of social status and/or popularity on the app.
- Snap Streaks: Number score given for each consecutive day that two Snapchatters Snap each other. For example, a 1,095 Streak means that two Snapchatters have Snapped each other every, single day over a period of three years.
- Chat: Disappearing messages.
- Live Chat: Video calls on which filters can be used.
- Snap Map: Shares exact physical location on a Map populated with Bitmojis.
- Bitmojis: cherubic Snapchat cartoon avatars.
- Discover: Pop culture content feed feature.
- Spotlight: Posts last 24 hours.
- Stories: Public or private content lasting 24 hours.
- Lenses and filters: Alter appearance and environment.
- Memories: Stores saved snaps for later viewing.
- My Eyes Only: fully encrypted data vault within Snapchat where all file types can be securely and privately stored. Requires creation of 4-digit pin, which also is encrypted.
- Geofilters: Location-based visual effects.
- Games: In-app games.
- Cameos: Short video clips with user photos.
Privacy and safety
- Snap deletes content by default, and users receive a notification from Snap when another user screenshots content.
- This provides users with a false sense of security, as there are other means by which content can be saved and circulated by others.
Adding friends
- Friends can be added via address books, usernames, QR codes, and suggestions.
- Snap recommends other users via Quick Add, which may result in teens adding people they do not actual know to their “friends” list.
- Teens may add unfamiliar people through friends of friends.
How to improve your child’s safety on Snapchat
Comply with age restrictions: Ensure your teen is at least 13 years old before using Snapchat.
Establish privacy settings
- Check all privacy, marketing, and other available settings offered by the platform.
- Set your teen’s account to private.
- Disable Snap Map or set it to ‘Ghost.
- Adjust settings so only friends can see them.
- Note: available settings may vary by location, so identify and set every other available setting to the highest available safety level.
Maintain open dialogue: Discuss social media usage and privacy settings regularly with your child. Talk about social media more generally with your child, as well. Watch for the latest news and updates about these platforms and try to engage your children in those discussions so that they can make better informed decisions for themselves.
- Regularly talk with your child about how they use Snapchat.
- Teach your child how to report inappropriate behavior.
Monitor activity
- Monitoring your child’s activity can be more challenging on Snapchat than other platforms due to ephemerality and other platform design features. You should still try.
- Stay connected with your child by following their Snapchat account.
- Periodically review their friends list.
- Monitor how much time your teen spends on the app and discuss excessive use.
Educate about risks
- Explain that images and messages can still be saved and shared. Do not avoid the hard conversations on this one, as many teens consider Snapchat as a “safer” way to send explicit content.
- Educate your teen about the dangers of cyberbullying and online predators.
Consider Establishing their Account: If you decide to allow your child to use Snapchat, consider setting up their account. This means creating the account, selecting the strongest safety settings, and then using the account yourself for some period before handing it over to them.
Periodic Programming: Discuss the dangerous of algorithmic programming regularly with your child and help them to take affirmative steps to program all social media accounts to be less potentially harmful. For example, run searches for positive topics and scroll through positive topics on a regular basis, and caution them against watching potentially harmful topics.
Encourage Reporting: Where Snapchat provides options for blocking and reporting, encourage your child to use those options and use them yourself. Use of these options may not only keep them safer but may keep other children safer as well.
Utilize safety features
- Familiarize yourself and your teen with Snapchat’s Safety Snapshot channel.
- Investigate any safety settings Snap offers and consider and discuss them with your child; set the greatest safety settings offered.
- Explain the limitations of Snapchat’s AI and the importance of not sharing personal information with it.
Control access to harmful content
- Use Snapchat’s content filters to block inappropriate material.
- Keep an eye on hashtags your teen uses and follows to reduce risk to harmful content.
Device Restrictions:
- If Snapchat is restricted from downloading, teens can still access Snapchat via web browsers.
- TikTok is accessible on other internet-connected devices.
Guides supported by The Social Media Victims Law Center
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