New Efforts to Protect Teens on Snapchat
Protections for teens on Snapchat have been slow coming and lacking features of other social media competitors.1
This post contains affiliate links. The author or blog owner may earn a commission if you make a purchase using these links.
Last week Snap Inc., Snapchat’s parent company, released a group of new features targeting 13-17 year olds on the platform. These new features are designed to create a “more age-appropriate viewing experience.”2
But what draws teens, drug dealers3, and those looking to sexually exploit teens to Snapchat?
The Myth of Security on Snapchat
Snapchat’s primary appeal is its perceived security.
Disappearing messages and images, combined with the gamification of “snap streaks,” makes the platform appealing to teens.
The former is also what draws people with untoward intent to Snapchat. The promise of being able to disappear.
The Anatomy of a Snap
Users can send texts, images from their camera roll, and images/videos taken with the app, known as snaps, within a conversation.
Unless texts, images, or snaps are saved to the chat, they disappear after viewing, or within 24 hours. Further, snaps can be set to disappear immediately after viewing, with the ability to view them a second time, or to be retained if the receiver saves the snap.
However, users can retain messages by saving them to the chat, taking a screenshot, or saving them to camera roll. The last two options will send a notification so the sender knows what’s happening with the content.
On the other hand, if a user uses a third-party application, not the built-in screenshot method, to record the screen, no notification will be sent. I bring this up to reinforce the fact that things that happen online can last forever.
What are the New Features Protecting Teens on Snapchat?
- Safer Contact
- In-App Warnings
- A warning pops up if a teen adds someone who isn’t in their phone’s contacts and they don’t share enough mutuals with.
- Stronger Friending Protections
- Higher number of mutual friends before Snapchat recommends someone. As well as requiring a higher number of mutuals before allowing a friend request to happen.
- In-App Warnings
- New Strike System for Accounts Promoting Age-Inappropriate Content
- Content promoted by media organizations, verified creators, and random users is vetted to ensure age appropriateness. Violations result in content, then accounts being removed.
- Education About Common Online Risks
- Informational productions created in conjunction with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about:
- Catfishing
- Financial sextortion
- Taking and sharing explicit images
- And more
- Informational productions created in conjunction with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about:
Accessible via parents.snapchat.com, a handy family center walks parents through the process of setting up an account for themselves and their children with both text and videos.
However, the protections offered are predicated on parents setting up a child’s account. If your child created an account without your knowledge, you’re out of luck.
If you’re unfamiliar with sextortion, check out Dr. Jen’s article How to Protect Your Child from Sextortion.
How do Other Social Media Apps Protect Teens?
YouTube and TikTok are the most used apps by teens. Occupying spots three and four are Instagram and Snapchat.4
I’ll quickly eliminate YouTube and TikTok. Because the former doesn’t have messaging, and the latter has limited messaging capabilities.
Instagram allows users to send text, pictures, and videos and has taken extra steps in utilizing AI to:
Both of these technologies are available to Snapchat, but aren’t utilized.
Protecting teens on Snapchat, particularly young girls, from unsolicited explicit images should be paramount.
“…adolescents often underestimate risks and perceive greater potential benefits from risky behavior.”
Smith, Chein, and Steinberg, 2014
Protecting Teens on Snapchat is Secondary to Profits
There is a fundamental disconnect between management and reality about how Snapchat is used. Beyond understanding its usage, particularly teens on Snapchat, executives don’t understand how users get their apps. When called before congress, Snap’s executives weren’t able to answer why their app is rated differently between devices and app stores.7
Furthermore, the measures designed to save teens from themselves are invasive. The in-app warnings require teens share their contact list with Snapchat. While this is an opt-in feature, it is still an invasion of privacy.
Matters that concern privacy should always be opt-in, especially for teens.
Learn why it’s important for everyone, especially teens, to be able to control their online experiences. Dick Pic Culture: How do Teenage Girls Navigate it?
Using AI for Fun and Profit
An artificial intelligence was released earlier this year, called “My AI.” It was marked for wide-release to all Snapchat accounts on February 27.
A journalist at the Washington Post created an account posing as a thirteen year old. The artificial intelligence engaged in discussions about sexual relationships and alcohol with that user.
Contrary to their guidelines, My AI wasn’t adjusted for age-appropriateness. Consequently, teens on Snapchat are now being exposed to explicit talk from peers, older people, and machines.
Again, Snap Inc seems more interested in “moving fast and breaking things” to capitalize on tech buzz than ensuring the safety of teens on Snapchat.
Separating Moral Panic from Reality to Protect Your Teens on Snapchat
Even though I’m not a fan of the business model of monetizing users against their will, I do believe that Snapchat can be a valuable outlet for teens.
Teens need to feel a sense of security and privacy to talk to their friends. They also need to be included in the now-integral to life social media experience.
But this doesn’t change the fact that teenagers are prone to taking risks without considering consequences.8 Fostering healthy emotional development starts at home.
Creating an open environment to discuss concerns and experiences starts long before your child asks for Snapchat. Put in the work as a parent, build mutual trust.
After you’ve formed that foundation, it’s much easier to give them freedom to explore safely.
And with your oversight.
TL/DR
- Snapchat needs to do more to protect teens and be a better steward of social media.
- Parents need to create an environment that fosters mutual trust.
- Teens need to feel free to explore and secure enough to ask for advice.
- Parents can visit parents.snapchat.com for more information about how Snapchat is helping them to protect their children.
References
- Snap’s Dangerous New AI Risks Exposing Children to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse EndSexualExploitation.org ↩︎
- Introducing New Safeguards to Protect our Community values.snap.com ↩︎
- When one pill kills NBCNews.com ↩︎
- Teens and social media: Key findings from Pew Research Center surveys PewResearch.org ↩︎
- What’s Being Done to Protect Teens on Instagram and Messenger? DrJensRecoveryReadings.com ↩︎
- Updates to the Sensitive Content Control about.instagram.com ↩︎
- YouTube and Snapchat were asked to defend their apps’ age ratings in Senate hearing TechCrunch.com ↩︎
- The Current Landscape of Adolescent Risk Behavior National Library of Medicine www.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov ↩︎
Are you a professional looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on, sex addiction, trauma, and mental health news and research? Or maybe you’re looking for continuing education courses? Then you should stay up-to-date with all of Dr. Jen’s work through her practice’s newsletter!
Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.
Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Then you should consult with a professional.
