Snapchat

Upon its release in September 2011, Snapchat quickly became a hit with youths. Users send a photo or video to any contact with the app and decide how long – ranging from 1 to 10 seconds – the content remains on the platform, before it disappears.

Most youths like Snapchat because of its spontaneity and novelty; it is playful and “in the moment”, a nice change from the self-presentation and reputation issues in social media platforms that display photos indefinitely ⁽¹⁾ unless deleted. Nevertheless, there are certain privacy and online safety concerns that can emerge.

It is important to be aware of these risks that may be glossed over by children who use the app for light-hearted, innocent fun.

1. 1. Snapchat has a version for children under the age of 13, known as SnapkidzWhen downloading the app, Snapchat will ask for the user’s age and redirect those under 13 to Snapkidz. However, Snapkidz does not enable any media sharing as all content is just saved to their devices’ camera roll. Children must use other media sharing tools like whatsapp or email. Given the limitations of Snapkidz, it is likely that most children will simply create an account with a fictitious birth date.
   2. Concerns regarding Snapchat’s security and privacy In 2013, anonymous perpetrators hacked into Snapchat, after Gibson Security publicly disclosed API security vulnerability. The hack compromised parts of approximately 4.6 million usernames and phone numbers online. Although the leaked information was not very personal or critical, the hack raised cause for concern regarding Snapchat’s security and privacy systems. It may be possible for hackers to penetrate deeper into the systems and access files that have been transferred between users.Do advise your children against sending inappropriate photos or videos via Snapchat; technology cannot always be trusted and it is better to take precaution.
   3. Misusing Snapchat to upload inappropriate contentOn November 14, 2013, police in Laval, Quebec, Canada arrested 10 boys aged 13 to 15 on child pornography charges after the boys allegedly captured and shared explicit photos of teenage girls sent through Snapchat as screenshots ⁽²⁾. Although media content disappears after the stipulated 1-10 seconds, this does not prevent recipients from taking a quick screenshot, or using another camera to record the content.Be aware of this and ensure your children do not circulate sensitive or personal information via Snapchat. Also, do warn them against spreading another person’s media content against his/her wishes.