#38 Negative Effects of Snapchat For Teens - SmartSocial.com Podcast by Josh Ochs
03/05/18 • 16 min
Subscribe to our podcast on: iTunes – Google Play – Stitcher Radio – Spotify – Web Player
Are your kids addicted to Snapchat? Do you wonder the long term effects that Snapchat can have on them?
In this episode Josh walks you through some of the worst features of Snapchat. You will learn what a Streak is, how students share passwords and also how the Snap Map feature is dangerous.
Be sure to rate us on iTunes if you like this podcast! Thanks.
Teen Snapchat statistics
- People under the age of 25 use Snapchat for 40 minutes on average
every day, more than Instagram’s latest stat for the same demographic - Snapchat ranks as the most popular social media site among teenagers
- Users 25 and younger visit Snapchat over 20 times per day
Teen social media statistics
- 91% of 16-24 year olds use the internet for social networking
- Social media use is linked with increased rates of anxiety,
depression and poor sleep - Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and
alcohol
What is a Streak?
- A Streak is given to users who have sent each other Snaps
consistently for two days or more - A fire emoji (🔥) will appear next to a friend’s name along with a
number. The number indicates how many days you have consistently
messaged that user back and forth
Snapchat can be addictive for teens
According to ABC News:
- Snapchat has mechanisms in place to incentivize teens to become daily
users with a phenomenon called the Streak - Experts say Streaks can create a concerning hierarchy of friendship
that can leave some teens afraid to disappoint others if they drop a
Streak - “The more you cannot leave one day without being on social media, the
more your identity gets wrapped up in it [and] the more likely it’s
going to have negative effects,” an expert warned
According to Business Insider:
- Snapchat Streaks have become the most important metric in social
media for teens Because teens invest so much time in their Streaks,
it’s common to ask friends to “Streak” for you if you’re unable to
log on — for example, if you got your phone taken away - “One of my friends actually called me while I was sleeping to make
sure our Streak would still be going,” a student said. “He called me
four times and woke me up to keep the Streak alive. He was like, ‘Are
we still Streaking?'” - “A big part of [Snapchat Streaks] is social acceptance,” a
15-year-old student admitted. “Having more streaks makes you feel
more popular”
According to Psychology Today:
- It is not uncommon to hear a tween bragging about the number of
streaks they have going as well as about the length of each of these
streaks. The longer the streak, the higher it’s perceived value - It is not uncommon to find a 12-year-old user who set up a Snapchat
account (without their parents knowing). Streaks may really matter to
your tween. Suddenly asking your tween to stop keeping up their
Streaks could really stress them out
“Snap Map” lets people locate your teen
- This feature lets teens “pinch to zoom” on their story page and view
the map where their friends are posting from - Predators and scammers use geolocation to know where your kids are at
(and when you’re not home, for a possible robbery)
Teens shar...
Subscribe to our podcast on: iTunes – Google Play – Stitcher Radio – Spotify – Web Player
Are your kids addicted to Snapchat? Do you wonder the long term effects that Snapchat can have on them?
In this episode Josh walks you through some of the worst features of Snapchat. You will learn what a Streak is, how students share passwords and also how the Snap Map feature is dangerous.
Be sure to rate us on iTunes if you like this podcast! Thanks.
Teen Snapchat statistics
- People under the age of 25 use Snapchat for 40 minutes on average
every day, more than Instagram’s latest stat for the same demographic - Snapchat ranks as the most popular social media site among teenagers
- Users 25 and younger visit Snapchat over 20 times per day
Teen social media statistics
- 91% of 16-24 year olds use the internet for social networking
- Social media use is linked with increased rates of anxiety,
depression and poor sleep - Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and
alcohol
What is a Streak?
- A Streak is given to users who have sent each other Snaps
consistently for two days or more - A fire emoji (🔥) will appear next to a friend’s name along with a
number. The number indicates how many days you have consistently
messaged that user back and forth
Snapchat can be addictive for teens
According to ABC News:
- Snapchat has mechanisms in place to incentivize teens to become daily
users with a phenomenon called the Streak - Experts say Streaks can create a concerning hierarchy of friendship
that can leave some teens afraid to disappoint others if they drop a
Streak - “The more you cannot leave one day without being on social media, the
more your identity gets wrapped up in it [and] the more likely it’s
going to have negative effects,” an expert warned
According to Business Insider:
- Snapchat Streaks have become the most important metric in social
media for teens Because teens invest so much time in their Streaks,
it’s common to ask friends to “Streak” for you if you’re unable to
log on — for example, if you got your phone taken away - “One of my friends actually called me while I was sleeping to make
sure our Streak would still be going,” a student said. “He called me
four times and woke me up to keep the Streak alive. He was like, ‘Are
we still Streaking?'” - “A big part of [Snapchat Streaks] is social acceptance,” a
15-year-old student admitted. “Having more streaks makes you feel
more popular”
According to Psychology Today:
- It is not uncommon to hear a tween bragging about the number of
streaks they have going as well as about the length of each of these
streaks. The longer the streak, the higher it’s perceived value - It is not uncommon to find a 12-year-old user who set up a Snapchat
account (without their parents knowing). Streaks may really matter to
your tween. Suddenly asking your tween to stop keeping up their
Streaks could really stress them out
“Snap Map” lets people locate your teen
- This feature lets teens “pinch to zoom” on their story page and view
the map where their friends are posting from - Predators and scammers use geolocation to know where your kids are at
(and when you’re not home, for a possible robbery)
Teens shar...
Previous Episode
#37 Live.ly App Is Not Safe For Teens (Parent App Guide) - SmartSocial Podcast with Josh Ochs
Live.ly is a video streaming app from the creators of Musical.ly where users can broadcast live video or video chat with friends. With reports of students using the app to play truth or dare and share personal information with strangers, we created this guide to help parents keep students safe.
Learn more about Parent University: https://smartsocial.com/parent-university/
If you like these tips, please consider rating my podcast! Thanks - Josh
Guest info:
Josh Ochs, Founder of https://SmartSocial.com
Live.ly is a live video streaming app from the creators of Musical.ly where users can broadcast live video or group video chat with their friends.
What is the Live.ly app?
- From the creators of Musical.ly, Live.ly is a live video streaming app
- Users sign up using their Musical.ly, Facebook, or Twitter account
- Users can broadcast live video or group video chat with their friends
- Multiple users can live broadcast video together from different locations
- Unlike Instagram and Snapchat, when a live broadcast is over it cannot be replayed
- Users also have the ability to comment on videos
- There is no verification process or age requirement for users to view live videos
- Since Live.ly is connected to Musica.ly, it’s easy to share content between the apps
- Users can receive or give emoji “gifts” through the app using real money (prices range $.50-$50)
Why should parents care?
- Sometimes students will give out their Snapchat username or phone number during a live video without understanding that strangers watching their video now have their personal information
- The more money a user spends, the more prominent their username will be in a video’s comments which can turn spending into a competition
- Even though it’s against the app’s terms of service, it’s not uncommon for students younger than 13 to use this app
- Some students have been reported as using this app to play “truth or dare”. Users will comment a truth or dare and the student will live stream their response
- Although users have the ability to report mature content, there is no moderation on the app. Students can run into any type of content – good or bad
- Live streaming videos can have a serious impact on your student’s privacy and security
What Parents are Saying about the Live.ly app
- Inappropriate for children. I was doing my usual phone check on our kid’s phone and kept getting notifications for Live.ly. When I checked on it, two different times a group video chat came on with a man [doing something extremely explicit] in one of the cameras. There were kids no older than 10 watching and when they realized there was a grown up watching they clicked off. This is not an app for children! This is as far as I’m concerned just another way for pedophiles to get to kids.
- Pedophile hunting ground! Do not let your children on here. A child close to me had been approached by a man asking inappropriate questions. It should not be allowed to happen, it’s sick.
Live.ly App in the News
"Children as young as nine are being groomed and bombarded with sexually explicit messages on a popular livestreaming app [Live.ly] that has been branded ‘a magnet for paedophiles. - The Times
"Comments [teens] received [on Live.ly] are extremely explicit. - Channel 4 News
"Live.ly has also quickly turned it into a [place] where social media performers angle at cashing in on their elusive celebrity status and fans shell out for the illusion of greater intimacy. – The New York Times
"Live.ly’s overnight success can be linked directly to teens downloading the app based on their already honed obsessions with musical.ly. – New York Magazine
What can parents do?
- If your student has the Live...
Next Episode
#39 Parent Digital Safety Night Speech with Josh Ochs - SmartSocial.com Podcast with Josh Ochs
Subscribe to our podcast on: iTunes – Google Play – Stitcher Radio – Spotify – Web Player
Click Here to Hire Josh Ochs to speak at your organization.
In this student-friendly episode, Josh Ochs talks to parents in The Covina-Valley Unified School District teaching them how their kids can shine online. He shares some anti-bullying tips, good and bad apps, how to have a dialogue with your kids and more.
Learn more about Parent University: https://smartsocial.com/parent-university/
If you like these tips, please consider rating my podcast! Thanks - Josh
Guest info:
Josh Ochs, Founder of https://SmartSocial.com
How do we bridge a generation gap between kids and their parents? As a parent, have you struggled to communicate with your teenage kids? Kids, are you keeping secrets to your parents to avoid being called out? If yes is your answer to these questions, listen to this episode as Josh shared tips and advice that parents can use to help your kids shine online.
Key Takeaways:
- The best social media safety resource is having a healthy dialogue with your kids
- Consider not commenting on your students' post on social media. Give them the social space they need.
- Let the kids be the expert. Put your kids' interests first.
3 keys to success
- Positivity
- Safety
- Anti-bullying
When should my kids be public online?
- 0-13 years olds should be private online
- At the age of 14 - 15, the discussion starts on what to go public.
- By the age 15, they can start posting positive images on social media.
- When they reach 17, colleges and universities can find positive footprints of your kids online
Resources
Popular App Guide for Parents and Teachers
Next Steps for Podcast Listeners:
Join Parent University to get videos to watch with your kids so they can better understand WHY they need to be smart online.
Please share this episode with a friend and subscribe so we can help more parents. Thanks for all your support.
Read more here: https://smartsocial.com/blog/
Join our next webinar to learn the 30 worst apps your students should never use: https://smartsocial.com/#webinars
Join Parent University to get videos to watch with your kids so they can better understand WHY they need to be smart online.
View the top 50+ good and bad teen apps in our Popular App Guide page for Parents and Educators.
Learn more at https://smartsocial.com
If you like this episode you’ll love
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