Nowadays, almost all people, including teens, use Snapchat to keep their friends or family up-to-date about their whereabouts. However, have you ever thought that people make use of even this platform for sharing adult content? Snapchat porn is, in reality, prevailing on this platform.
We are writing this post to keep you aware of this new prevailing risk for minors. We’ll also share reasons for how people can use Snapchat for pornographic content, and also, being a parent, what tools and strategies you can adopt to protect minors.
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a widely known communication platform that was launched in 2011, allowing you to share pictures, videos (called snaps) with your friends.
This platform has many distinct features, which is why you will see that both adults and teens are active on this platform. You will be surprised to know the Statista report which states that Snapchat has 460 million active users, not monthly but daily, and these are increasing day by day.
Core features
- Snaps: Snapchat allows you to send time-sensitive pictures and videos. For instance, once you view them, they vanish.
- Snapstreaks: Also, when you send snaps to your friends regularly for almost 3days, then a streak session starts. It basically measures how many days you and your friends are constantly sending snaps to each other. However, if any of you forget to send a snap on any day, then the streak count is set to zero. So, it’s an amazing way to keep friends engaged.
- Filters and Lenses: Moreover, Snapchat has many fun filters and beauty lenses. Beauty lenses have given a big advantage to girls, so that they can take pictures or videos even without makeup.
- Stickers and text: you can add emojis, fancy fonts, and words to even more enhance your snaps.
- Snap stories: Moreover, just like Facebook or other social media platforms, Snapchat also allows you to send pictures or videos to friends. Unlike snaps, which disappear upon viewing, snap stories remain visible for 24 hours.
- Chat messages: In addition, like any other messaging application, here you can also send or receive messages.
Why does it appeal to younger audiences?
If you are wondering why mostly young people use Snapchat? First of all, you can estimate its popularity from the amazing features mentioned above. However, the most common reason that young people admire is its strong privacy features, like when you send temporary snaps.
Also, the speed is the next common reason, for instance, you just need to take a picture and click on the send snap button, and it will get shared with whom you want within a couple of seconds.
Why is adult content popular on Snapchat?
After all the above discussion, you might be thinking that this platform seems to be fun and safe to use. Then, why is adult content popular on Snapchat? Well! People misuse their own features and make this platform a room for adult content.
For instance, people misuse the disappearing snaps features to share explicit content. This is because they think that there would be no proof left behind if they shared such content, and thus feel safe.
Moreover, according to the Global statistics reports, most of the Snapchat users are between 18-24, making 37% of total users. Thus, it’s also the reason that people share explicit content just for adult fun. However, as this platform also involves minors, thus parents are questioning this platform regarding their kids’ safety.
The problem of adult content on Snapchat
“Snapchat porn” basically refers to the sharing of explicit photos and videos that some users send via Snapchat. However, the problem is that most of the users on Snapchat are teens. Thus, if anyone sends such explicit content, then it may cause the following problems!
- Exposure of teens to explicit content
- Risk of grooming and exploitation
- Mental and emotional harm
- Legal consequences
- Privacy leaks and blackmail risks
How Snapchat’s features enable sharing pornographic content
Snapchat doesn’t aim for sharing adult content; however, people here have bad intentions and misuse its casual features. Let’s dive deeper and understand!
Snaps disappear quickly
First of all, Snapchat allows you to send snaps, which automatically disappear upon viewing. Although it’s a casual feature, people misuse it to share porn content as they think no proof will be left behind.
One-on-one chats
Moreover, Snapchat allows one-on-one private chats. Also, it does not have the option to store or even forward the messages. Thus, people misuse it for bad intentions because only the person to whom you are chatting would see the content.
Snap stories
Now, Snap stories, which allow your friends to see your shared snaps for almost 24 hours. If you are thinking about how people misuse this feature? Well! People are very smart.
Snapchat basically gives its users control over who they want to make visible their stories. Thus, people customize these audience settings and share explicit content on stories.
Besides all, there may be third-party apps or websites available in the market that may connect with Snapchat. Thus, people may use them to store explicit content from Snapchat and then upload it to other platforms. the availability of such tools even worsens the situation.
This is because some people may share their personal porn photos, assuming that they would disappear. However, such tools may even pose more concerns, especially for teens.
Use parental controls to track your teens digital activities on Snapchat.
What can you do as a parent to protect your child?
As a parent, your first priority is your kids’ safety, So, after knowing that Snapchat can become a room for porn content, you would definitely be worrying. But Every problem has a solution if you deal with it patiently. So, that’s only required here.
Below are some tools and strategies to help you protect your kids from harmful content!
Snapchat privacy and security settings
Keep in mind that Snapchat would become a very secure and safe platform if you do the following privacy settings in your Snapchat account.
Prep (Do this first)
1. If you are going to make these settings, then it’s advisable to have your kids alongside. You have to tell the reasons why you are making such changes. Thus, they would respect them and would not find any way to breach them!
2. Next, you have to ensure that you have logged in to your Snapchat account.
Step-by-step guideline
- Step 1. Open the Snapchat app, and in the upper left corner of your mobile screen, you will see your child’s Profile icon (Bitmoji or circle). Tap on it.
- Step 2. Now, on your profile page, click on the gear icon at the top right corner. This will open the settings page before you.
- Step 3. Access who can Contact Me. Under the settings menu, you will see the Contact Me option. Click on it and adjust to My Friends (not Friends & Contacts).
- Step 4. Access who can View My Story. Under the settings menu, you will see the option View My Story. Tap on it and choose My Friends (or Custom to leave out specific people).
- Step 5. Disable show me in Quick Add. Go back to settings and find the See Me in Quick Add section. If found, tap on it. Then a new page will open, and here uncheck the Show me in the Quick Add.
- Step 6. Block or remove risky contacts. If you find any suspicious contact, then just swipe right and long-press their name. After this, a pop-up menu box will appear. You have to choose the Manage Friendship option and then remove a Friend or block them.
- Step 7. Enable two-step verification. Go to your settings and click on Two-Factor Authentication. Click on Continue and choose verification methods like SMS or an Authentication App (like Google Authenticator).
Use parental controls to enhance monitoring.
The above-mentioned privacy settings are just one thing that you can do for safe use of Snapchat. Do you want even more robust control over your kids’ digital activities? If yes, then FlashGet Kids parental control app must be your go to as it helps kids remain protected from potential digital dangers. For instance,
- Screen mirroring: Owing this app, you can screen mirror kids’ devices and see live what your kids are doing on Snapchat.
- Notification alerts: Also, this app allows you to sync the notifications from kids’ devices. Thus you would be able to see every notification, like snaps, stories, or friend requests, on your own notice page.
- App usage monitoring: Moreover, FlashGet Kids also allows you to check how much time your kids have spent on individual apps like Snapchat.
- Screen time: Besides all, it also enables you to set screen time on Snapchat for a particular time. balance in everything is important to eliminate the chances of risks. Too much screen time itself can negatively impact kids’ both mental and physical health.
Snapchat’s age restrictions and content reporting
to use Snapchat, you must be 13 years old or above. This is to protect minors from getting exposed to inappropriate things that people might share via private chats or snaps.
Besides, this Snapchat has also strict rules and regulations regarding the sharing of explicit content. For instance, it gives you the right to report the inappropriate content.
Don’t think that Snapchat will do anything on your report. The reality is that Snapchat’s support team reviews every report and instantly removes this content, may warn the user or even ban the account.
Keep in mind that your voice matters, so don’t stay silent, if anything bad is happening with you or even others. Just speak up and be a part of creating a safe community.
Signs your child might be exposed to inappropriate content
Sometimes, you might notice some changes in your child that might trigger you to think that something is wrong with your child. Don’t ignore them at once. But try to find the reason behind them. Because if your heart is saying that your child isn’t okay, then believe in your gut feeling!, to better help in this regard, below are some signs that make you sure that your kids have been exposed to inappropriate content.
Sudden shifts in behaviour:
The most prominent sign is that you might notice changes in their routines. For instance, their mood swings, poor school performance, and remain deeply lost in thought.
Guarding their screens:
Next, when they are using their phone or their other personal gadgets, and suddenly you come there. Then, they instantly close the gadget or even shift to another app, and you find them frightened.
Pulling away from family:
Also, you will notice that the child who was always excited for family gatherings doesn’t take any interest.
So, if you observe any the above signs, then be sure that they are getting exposed to harmful content. So go and talk to them, tell them that you are always with them.
Conclusion
Overall, like any other platform, Snapchat has both dark and bright sides. But some people misuse its features, such as the disappearing snap feature, to send adult content.
So, being a parent, you have to be careful, otherwise it would hinder your kid’s personality. Hence, to keep your kids away from such disastrous things, the most reliable way is to make use of a parental control app like the FlashGet Kids app. It will protect your kids as well as give you peace of mind.
