On Sept. 20, the entire San Mateo Union High School District was alerted about a potential school shooting. This rumor was propagated on Snapchat and sparked widespread fear, causing many to skip school. Although it was a hoax, this highlights the prevalent issue of the lack of security measures employed in Snapchat and the growing misinformation.
“[Misinformation is] really dangerous because there’s this idea that when it’s on the internet, it’s real,” said wellness counselor Eddie Perez. “We take it super seriously as a district and as administration, but we also have to think of a student seeing it, the stress and anxiety that can cause for them, as well as the teachers and staff.”
Snapchat’s transient design, where Snaps vanish after being viewed, makes it difficult to fact-check claims and rumors after they’ve spread. As a result, users may feel less accountable for their actions, lowering their inhibitions and making them feel free to post and send anything.
“The way the app is structured [and] the kind of people who are on the app is asking for a lot of dangerous things to happen,” said sophomore Anjalika Khare. “People get flashed on there, and [because] you can’t go back and see the messages previously, you don’t have proof of something happening in the past.”
With over 160 million users between the ages of thirteen and seventeen, according to SocialFly, Snapchat’s primary demographic makes it a prime target for scams and phishing attacks.
“You get a bunch of bots that add you, and they send you … spam and scams or 18+ inappropriate content,” said junior Jonathan Phi. “It’s very annoying and awkward. I have stopped adding people back on Snapchat because of the bots. These bots are more harmful towards younger people that use Snapchat because they don’t know what they are doing.”
Outside of Snapchat’s potentially inappropriate nature, the app can also have downsides that may affect physical, social and mental health.
“A lot of Snapchat filters [give] people clear skin and everything, and then makes people believe that everyone is like that,” said sophomore Ashely Cheng. “[If] a friend sends a picture of themselves in their bed, almost getting ready to sleep, and they look amazing, you might be like, ‘Oh my gosh, why do I look so bad?’”
Alongside these concerns, the built-in Snap Streaks and Snap Scores create a sense of competition that encourages daily use and spurs on addiction.
“I have so many friends who use Snapchat,” Cheng said. “I can see them during class constantly tapping into chats and sending pictures. Then, you feel pressured to send a picture to them too. That just leaves them in a cycle of picture sending and picture taking.”
This endless sequence of interaction may lead to more than just distraction; overuse may interfere with real-life connections and work.
“Being on Snapchat, staying up late and not getting enough sleep can cause sleep deprivation and [affect] mental health,” Perez said. “There could be some addictive qualities as well to continuously posting, where you’re spending a lot of time and can’t put the phone down. It might interfere with schoolwork [and] face-to-face communication.”
While Snapchat is an excellent tool for communication with its entertaining features and innovative ways to connect with friends, there are many risks that accompany the app.
“It’s like what the doctor will tell you about sugar, everything in moderation,” Perez said. “There’s this whole body of literature on doom scrolling and it does have an effect on us … Being online can be a really great way to self-care, but having balance and limits set [is important] so you know to prioritize the things that are making you thrive and that are making you healthy.”
