Snapchat is an application for sharing content and has several interesting options that can be interesting for children. However, is everything fun and innocent on Snapchat?
Even though there are some pros of Snapchat, like filters and no focus on the past or future, it has its drawbacks as well.
This piece of writing will explore the pros of Snapchat, taking a look at the flipside to enable you to determine if it is okay for your kid to use it or not.
Introduction to the Snapchat
Snapchat, also known as snap, is a social app that allows users to share pictures, videos or messages which can only be opened for a short time.
The app has gained much popularity especially among young people, particularly those in their teenage and early adulthood, due to its ephemeral and creative nature.
Some of the statistical data obtained in the recent past show that the regularity of young people in the United States using Snapchat still continues to be high at 91%.
Its advantages include filters, lenses, and the ability to exchange messages through temporary posts, which complements the image-related nature of communication.
What is Snapchat’s age limit?
The legal age for using Snapchat is 13 years and above. This implies that in order to create an account and use the app, one must be at least thirteen years of age.
This age limit is put in place in consideration of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, which sets the guidelines for the collection of information from kids.
However, what has to be said is the fact that this age is still heavily relying on self-report data.
During registration, the user needs to input his or her date of birth; however, Snapchat does not have a strict mechanism for age validation.
This means that the under-age children can easily gain access to the platform by just entering the wrong birth year.
Some parents and educators have also expressed concerns that the age limit of this application is rather low, given the given features and potential risks.
They argue that 13-year-olds may not be in a position to handle the social media responsibility that accompanies such access.
However, some parents tend to restrict their children’s use of this app until they reach a particular age, although Snapchat has an age requirement.
Pros of Snapchat for kids
While some parents may frown at their children using Snapchat. There are several things which the application can be useful in. Let’s learn the pros of Snapchat for kids together.
Here’s why Snapchat might just be a fun and engaging way for kids to connect:
- Unleashing creativity:
Children can utilize fun features such as funky filters or draw whatever they wish, allowing the child to be as creative as they want to be.
- Tech-Savvy Smarts:
To operate Snapchat, one is required to interact with the application interface, the lens and the editing tools. As a result, it could be beneficial to enhance digital competencies. It makes one prepared for a future filled with advanced technology.
- Bridging the distance:
Through a video call, vanishing images and the group’s instant messaging, they can share life experiences in real time. It helps to alleviate feelings of loneliness.
- A Lesson in impermanence:
Even though Snaps are temporary, they help children understand the notion of a trail in the digital world. They start realizing that one has to pay the price for one’s actions; content can be removed from other social sites, but Snaps create a trail.
- Storytelling through snaps:
It calls for kids to share their experiences through the application. Creative edits or captions transform snaps into something that informs what was going on in their day and establishes the flow of storytelling.
- Building a community:
Students can share stories with their mates and therefore feel like they are in a community hence improving on interaction.
Cons of Snapchat for kids
While Snapchat offers a more fun way of sharing info and fooling around with filters. There are several risks associated with the use of the disappearing messages feature.
Let’s delve into the potential pitfalls parents should be aware of:
– Privacy perils:
The fact that snaps do not last long can mislead children into thinking they are goofing off when they are actually not safe. They could be more likely to post things that are private or photos that they never wanted to see permanently.
– Stranger danger 2. 0:
While using Snapchat, one cannot send messages to strangers, but options like location sharing are very risky if not disabled. This could leave kids at the mercy of predators or strange faces within the vicinity.
– Cyberbullying’s shadow:
While messages can be deleted, bullying can cause pain, and its effects linger. Harsh words or mean selfies can still inflict harm, and just because they are short-term does not mean that they have no consequences.
– Pressure to perform:
Children could be pressured into being creative all the time or posting exciting things. Which could lead to stress and develop unhealthy self-esteem.
– Exposure to inappropriate content:
Even by setting up certain parameters, your child can still see some undesirable content in public stories or on people’s pages.
– Data collection:
Snapchat also gathers user information, such as browsing history and location details. This is a big issue for privacy, especially for younger people who might not fully comprehend how their data is used.
– Impulsive sharing:
The app’s spontaneity and availability allow users to make snap decisions. For example, a child might forward a message. So they would wish they had not forwarded it when it was too late.
– Distraction from studies:
Snapchat’s entertaining features can greatly interfere with school and academics. This results in permissiveness, lack of concentration and suppressed academic achievements.
So far, we have a general understanding of the pros and cons of Snapchat for kids.
Can Snapchat be monitored by parents?
After learning the pros and cons of Snapchat, let’s learn if Snapchat can be monitored by parents together.
Although users can send self-deleting messages through Snapchat, there are some ways for parents to monitor teenagers that use the application.
Snapchat’s Family Center can be described as a party of filters that allow parents to monitor teenagers’ Snapchat usage while maintaining the teens’ confidentiality.
For instance, parents can view their teen’s friend list of individuals they have been chatting with recently and even choose the type of content that the teen has access to on the app.
The main features include:
- Contact visibility: The parents are able to know who the teen is chatting with on Snapchat. It includes people who they have communicated with in the last week but not the content of the communication.
- Content controls: Parents can control the type of material their teen is exposed to, especially in the ‘Discover’ section. This helps suppress any red-marked or mature content that they do not wish their children to view.
- New friend alerts: Parents are allowed to get alerts anytime the teen starts following a new person on Snapchat.
- Reporting tools: The feature also enables parents to report any account that may be a cause of concern within the Snapchat application directly to its safety center.
- Privacy settings: Parents are able to monitor and possibly moderate their teen’s privacy settings within the app.
To access Family Center, not only does the parent have to have a Snapchat account. But the teen must also agree to connect with the parent via the Family Center tool.
This tool does allow some form of monitoring by parents. However, this doesn’t grant them complete control over their child’s messages or contents that have been shared.
Tips for parents to protect kids from Snapchat
Here are some tips to help parents guide their kids towards responsible Snapchat use:
Educate about responsible use
There are pros of Snapchat and cons. Before your child even downloads Snapchat, sit down and have a conversation with them.
Describe how the app operates, mention what people can enjoy, and talk about possible dangers.
1. Privacy is paramount:
Make sure your child knows how to properly navigate the privacy settings on Snapchat. Remind them that they can decide who can send them a direct message, who can see their stories and even their location.
2. Disappearing content isn’t truly gone:
While snaps may be temporary, taking screenshots and screen recordings is still possible. Remind them not to text anything they would not want recorded for other people to see or hear.
3. Develop critical thinking skills:
Teach your child to be a wise consumer of content and highly cautious about what they engage with on Snapchat. Remind them of possible ramifications that could arise from any post they make online.
4. Balance is key:
Sit down with your child and teach them how to use apps responsibly by establishing proper limits on their daily use. Stress that they should not spend all their time on Snapchat and suggest they find other ways of spending their time.
5. Empower them to report:
Explain to your child how to use Snapchat’s reporting option to report cases that may be demeaning or uncomfortable. This puts them in the position of being able to control what they encounter on the internet.
6. Keep it private:
Remind them to avoid posting their address, phone number, or any other personal details on Snapchat or the details of their lives that they may not be comfortable sharing.
7. Lead by example:
Be responsible for the use of social media in your own life. If you are conscious of what you share and how you comment or like on social platforms, then it is setting the right pace for the child.
8. Digital footprint matters:
Describe what a digital footprint is and explain how their activity on Snapchat impacts their digital footprint. Assist them in comprehending the permanency of what they post and its impact on people’s perceptions of them.
Use FlashGet Kids
Of course, open communication is vital, but there is always the option to find out more about your child’s activity over the Internet.
One of the solutions can be a parental app like FlashGet Kids. FlashGet Kids offers several features to help parents protect their children while using Snapchat and other apps:
Here’s how FlashGet Kids can be a valuable resource:
- Real-time monitoring: FlashGet Kids provides much more than reports. It supports real-time screen monitoring to help you notice what your child is exposed to on Snapchat at the time of using it.
- Smart app blocking: This kind of separation is sometimes required. Thanks to FlashGet Kids, you can set particular hours for which Snapchat and other apps are banned entirely.
- Schedule screen time: FlashGet Kids provides options for specifying the time that your child is allowed to play or surf the net. Establish daily or weekly usage limits on how many hours they can use Snapchat and other apps.
- App blocking: It is possible that even within Snapchat, kids will follow certain links that direct them to other wrong sites. Under FlashGet Kids, it is possible to create a list of allowed apps with safe content.
- Location tracking: FlashGet Kids comes equipped with location tracking options, so you can be sure of where your child is, especially if he or she has enabled location sharing on Snapchat.
When using Snapchat, open communication along with the help of such programs as FlashGet Kids, it is possible to create a safe and responsible environment for a child.
Conclusion
The use of Snapchat may be good for the young users in some ways but it can also be problematic in others.
As a social media platform, it can provide creativity, social interaction and improve social media competencies. There are many pros of Snapchat. On the downside, it affects privacy, bullying, and filtering of content for students.
However, using features like Snapchat’s Family Center and third-party applications, including FlashGet Kids, would ensure parental control is achieved.
Ultimately, enabling children to use the internet and information technology tools responsibly will allow them to gain from the platform’s utility while avoiding any negative impacts.
