Snapchat: a temporary app with permanent consequences

ByMatthew Crane Reading Time: 3 minutes

Most users of the popular app “Snapchat” would agree that it is a fun and interesting way to communicate with friends and family.

Unfortunately, the temporary nature of the photos creates a false sense of security and the app is being used to send inappropriate pictures between teens.

So what is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a wildly popular photo sharing application used to send temporary photos over 350 million times every day. The app allows users to send photos to friends, acquaintances or strangers. The caveat with the photos is the user can choose how many seconds the sent photo will be visible to the recipients until it “self-destructs.”

According to Joan Knies with Crisis Connection, Snapchat gives users a false sense of security due to the self-destruct feature of the photos sent.

The ability of most phones to take screenshots by simply pressing a combination of buttons on the device makes this feature nearly useless for protection from cyber-bullies. “The app is supposed to tell you if someone takes a screenshot of your photo, but it doesn’t always work,” she explained.

According to Knies, capturing a screenshot is fairly easy despite the self-destruct feature. “The app tells you that you will be receiving a photo and the recipient can be prepared to open it and save the image with a screenshot,” she explained, “or another individual will be prepared to take a picture with another phone before the photo disappears.”

Detective Rick Chambers with the Jasper Police Department says Snapchat has been brought to his attention regarding teens in the area but there have been no complaints of its misuse. He does warn that even the sending or possession of nude photos can have serious legal consequences for teens. “If the photo taken involves nudity and it is of children of a certain age you could be looking at charges of disseminating child pornography,” Chambers said.

According to Knies, the app is also being used for cyber-bullying. “If someone puts something online it never goes away,” she said. “This could have long term effects on individuals when they go to apply for jobs or even in future relationships.”

Check out this infographic about the Snapchat and the age groups affected.

snapchat_infographicLINK-1

Here is an infographic about sexting:

sexting_infographic_web

Here are some tips from www.uKnowKids.com about sexting.

  • Talk about ramifications: Make sure the child understands that sexting as a minor is a federal crime and that he/she can be prosecuted.  The ramifications are severe and can ruin their future whether it’s applying to college or a job.
  • Talk about self-esteem: Both teenage boys and girls have self-esteem issues as they are growing up so it is imperative that parents discuss that it’s alright to be a little unsure of themselves but sexting isnot the answer to coming out of their shell.
  • Use a Parental Intelligence System: It is the parent’s job to make sure to keep their child safe and the only way to do that is to monitor their phone calls, text messages, and social media sites.  It’s important to stop any situation before it becomes a catastrophe.
Facts and stats to Tweet:
  1. 48% of teens have received a sexually suggestive message. Tweet this >>
  2. 39% of teens have sent a sext (texting sexually explicit messages or photos) Tweet this >>
  3. 11% of young teenage girls, ages 13 to 16 have sexted nude or semi nude photos or themselves. Tweet this >>
  4. 86% of teens who sext are not caught. Tweet this >>
  5. 17% of the sexting recipients say that they have passed the images along to someone else. Tweet this >>
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