Snapchat

Reviewed By: Ryan

While Snapchat has a deceptive feel to it due to the disappearing messaging function, the messages, pictures, and videos are not always inappropriate. Snapchat has taken over how kids “message” each other and often prefer “snapping” someone over texting. Setting expectations and discussing behaviors for using the app is very important as a parent. Snapchat itself isn’t dangerous, but a youth posting risky content could turn into a dangerous situation.

If youth have not been exposed to sexualized content, drugs, and mental health topics before Snapchat, there is a high potential for them to be exposed after they create a Snapchat account. If you have had prevention discussions around these topics, then you might feel more comfortable letting your 13-year-old use Snapchat.

Discuss help-seeking strategies with your youth, such as what do to if they see someone posting about mental health issues, depression, self-harm, or suicide. Teach them to use the reporting functions built into Snapchat and to keep an open line of communication with you as the parent. Teach them how to report and block users that post inappropriate content or who are bullying your child.

There are “Publisher Stories” about sex available. You should be prepared for your kids to see these as it’s easy to stumble upon and kids are curious about sex at that age. Talk to your children about not posting sexual or provocative content. Teach them about self-esteem based upon the content of their character, not the appearance of their body.  As of today, a search of the word “sex” in the Discover section resulted in these Publisher Stories: “Your Biggest Sex Questions Answered” (Teen Vogue), “We Asked Sex Workers About Their First Days on the Job” (Vice), and “7 Hookup Secrets Sex Therapists Want You to Know” (Cosmopolitan).

Adult Snapchat accounts can be accessed through a purchase. You can also search WatchMyFeed and find accounts that will, for a fee, allow you access to sexually explicit Snapchat accounts. The fees are monthly and some are available for purchase for a year. Fees range from $14-$60 a month and around $99 for a year’s access.

Be aware of multiple accounts as well. Youth will sometimes have a well-curated appropriate account that you know of, but will also have other accounts where questionable behaviors will occur.

Safety Tips

My #1 recommendation: If you are going to let your child have a Snapchat account, you should have an account as well so that you can effectively educate them on how to use it responsibly. You should “friend” each other on Snapchat to assist in monitoring behaviors. 

Here are some other safety tips: 

• Do not use full names as usernames.
• Set the account to private. 
• Only accept followers of people they know in person.
• Remove any unknown followers that they currently have.
• Do not post personal information such as drivers license, school ID’s, state ID’s, phone numbers, birth certificates, school schedules, and other identifying information.
• Turn off location services.
• Use the reporting system when they see inappropriate content. 
• Talk to a parent if they see a concerning post from a friend (mental health, bullying, inappropriate posts).
• Report bullying both through Snapchat’s reporting function and to a parent.
• Save screenshots of bullying behaviors.
• Block bullies.
• Stick with the age restrictions.
• Snapchat keeps a “Snapchat Score” based upon how the user uses the app. Some youth may become overly focused on their score. Ask you kids what their “Snapchat score” is. Keep an eye on this. It will help you understand how much they are using the app.
• Even though an account is private, privacy isn’t guaranteed. Once a post is shared it is totally out of the users’ control.
• A digital reputation begins the moment an account is opened. What they post now could affect them later in life.
• I would not recommend children less than 13 use Snapchat even though the current app rating is 12+.

Reviewed By: Katie

Snapchat is a multi-functional application, enabling users to be able to send pictures, text messages, video chat, voice call, use funny filters, play games, follow other users and view their posts, as well as post their own images and videos to their followers. This is a lot of content that can be found on a single application, and the concept that draws most users to the app is that everything completely disappears once it is sent and viewed. This is the falsehood that causes most people to abuse Snapchat and get themselves into trouble. Just like any other app, make sure your child is aware that the messages that they send can easily be retrieved, screenshotted, or saved by other people.

The app is not equipped with heavy privacy settings, as anyone who has your child’s account username can request to follow them. I suggest encouraging them to not put their Snapchat username in the bio of any other account that they might have, such as Instagram. Depending upon how they set their “Who can…” in Settings,  if someone were to get their username, they could add your child as a friend without any ability to accept or decline. If your child does not add the account back, then the unknown user has no way of contacting them on private messages, only viewing their public stories. In this case, I would highly suggest blocking the unknown user so that no contact can be made, as well as changing the “Who Can Contact Me” feature in settings to “Friends Only.”

Snapchat also does not allow any account to be logged in on more than one device, making parents incapable of monitoring the application while their child uses it. Because of this feature, I would definitely suggest making your own account and following your child so that you can at least view their public stories. Your child has the capability to block you from seeing their story using the “Custom” button under “Who Can View My Story” in the app settings, so you may want to check your child’s account to make sure they don’t utilize this feature.

Ultimately, this app gives the user high amounts of privacy that can easily be taken advantage of. It is a very fun way to communicate with friends and stay connected with your peers, but if you cannot trust your child or feel that they are not yet mature enough to use the app appropriately, this is definitely not the app for them. As a guideline, I would suggest the minimum age that you allow your child to use Snapchat be at least fourteen. You have to know that your child can make positive decisions independently, as the application truly gives them an amount of freedom and privacy that is refreshing and fun, but can easily be taken to extremes.

About Katie

Katie first began using social media in fifth grade when she made an Instagram account the same year that the app was first launched. Since then, she has witnessed the program transform into what it is today, and has experienced both the good and bad that has come along with it. Katie has always practiced safe social media habits and is now sharing her experiences to help younger users understand the importance of protecting themselves online.