What is the problem with Snapchat?

 

 

1. What you send is not private. 

 

Despite Snapchat’s promise that what you send can only be viewed by your intended recipients for a few seconds, your Snapchat actually remains online, publicly and permanently. In addition, your recipients have the ability to screenshot whatever you send them—nude, racist, and drunken photographs included (McLane). Thinking about Snapchatting a ‘cool’ picture of your nineteen-year-old self chugging a handle of Svedka? You should probably think again.

2. Your name will be associated with all your Snapchats .

Snapchat’s demographics center on young adults, around high school and college age—people who are, most likely, hoping to have a successful job search within the next decade. When Goldman Sachs sees your 4.0 and incredible internship experience, they’re interested in hiring you. When Goldman Sachs sees the Snapchat of you smoking illegal substances on 4/20, they change their mind. Nothing you post on the internet is anonymous. Even if your username is completely unrelated to your birth name, the photos and videos you take can still be traced back to you. Snapchat is used on your phone, which most likely is registered under your name or a family name. If you are hoping to gain acceptance to a good university, get a good job, or avoid public embarrassment, do not use Snapchat. (McLane).

3. Snapchat distracts you from doing your own work. 

Like any other social media, Snapchat can be distracting. Most people cannot resist the temptation of procrastination, and this app does not help. Scrolling through Snapchat stories and sending silly photos of yourself can be fun. The problem arises when you are more entranced by your social media than by the world around you. Looking around the library, people have their books open, but their eyes on their phone screens. At parties, people are more concerned with getting a Snapchat to prove that they are out socializing than actually socializing with those around them. Getting away from your phone and into the real world can help you see an improvement in your grades and friendships.