Ah, Snapchat! The app that basically tells you, “Hey, don’t worry! Your secrets will disappear faster than your sanity!” It’s the tenth most popular social network in the world and boasts over 750 million monthly active users. It’s like a digital playground, and if you’re under 18, it’s probably the safest place to send a photo of that questionable dance move — because, you know, it’s gone in a flash. But let’s be real, the fun doesn’t come without a little dose of paranoia. Meet MyAI, your new virtual buddy who’s just as nosy as your Aunt Margaret at family gatherings.
Now, don’t get me wrong! I’m here for the filters. Who doesn’t want to see themselves as a cartoon dog with a crown? But here comes the plot twist: Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) isn’t too chuffed about MyAI snooping around your chats to serve up ads that even your most clueless mate would raise an eyebrow at. They’re suggesting that Snapchat’s disappearing messages, which supposedly enhance privacy, might just open the floodgates to cyberbullying. Which, ironically, seems like a slick way of saying, “Here’s your digital safety blanket — hope you like it with a side of anxiety!”
Ah, the conundrum of disappearing messages… It’s a parent’s worst nightmare! If you thought monitoring your kids was tough while they were learning to ride a bike, wait till you toss Snapchat into the mix. Apparently, around 23% of high school cyberbullying victims don’t tell adults if they’re being harassed. And with messages vaporing into thin air, we might as well just hand parents a ‘Sorry, no idea what my kid’s up to’ brochure. Brilliant!
And then, we have the magic of the MyAI bot. It’s like handing a toddler a paintbrush and hoping they don’t splash the walls. The bot could easily miss when something is inappropriate, leading to a digital Wild West where anything goes — and let’s face it, when it comes to kids sharing content online, this is like playing with fire while wearing a blindfold.
The article outlines some hefty concerns: grooming and sextortion are lurking like uninvited guests at a party. With features like Snap Map, it’s crucial to realize that there’s always someone looking to take advantage of the vulnerable. A whopping 26% of grooming crimes reported by British police happened on Snapchat last year. Good luck explaining that statistic at a dinner party!
Moving on to the thrilling world of Snapstreaks, where the pressure to keep conversations flowing can create the digital equivalent of “keeping up with the Joneses.” If you don’t expect them to send a Snap every day, are you even a proper parent? And let’s not get started on FOMO; it’s like your child’s emotional rollercoaster that they didn’t sign up for. It’s anxiety, it’s low self-esteem — it’s basically a recipe for a teenage sitcom that nobody asked for!
But don’t fret, my dear parents! Camilo Gutiérrez Amaya from ESET Latin America has thrown you a life raft in this digital sea. Here’s an idea: Why not sit down with your little ones and have an open chat about their Snapchat antics? You know, like you would about their math homework, but way less boring. Set rules and limits, just like you would with their dessert intake. Trust me; they’d prefer that over an unexpected “what’s this stranger doing in my DMs?” moment.
Before I leave you in despair, let’s wrap this up with some shiny tips to safely navigate this digital playground:
- Chat about the importance of mental health in social media usage. Seriously, it’s like telling them about broccoli but way less agonizing.
- Ensure they register with the right age—no one wants a six-footer in the middle of a teen dance-off claiming they’re 13!
- Discuss what can and can’t be shared. Because your kids definitely don’t need to share their lunch plans with the internet.
- Explore Snapchat’s security features together. Think of it like building a treehouse: safety first!
- Create your own Snapchat account to “spy” on their interactions without being creepy—well, as much as possible!
So there you have it—embrace Snapchat with a healthy dose of caution and a sprinkle of humor! After all, if they’re going to use it, you might as well get the most out of it, with a little parental guidance. Just remember, in the game of Snapchat, it’s not about how many snaps you send, but how well you can dodge the digital pitfalls lurking just around the corner. Happy snappin’!
Snapchat is the tenth most popular social network in the world and has more than 750 million monthly active users. The platform is popular especially among children and adolescents, due to its functions such as disappearing messages, stories, augmented reality (AR) filters and the artificial intelligence chatbot called “MyAI”. However, the flip side of any debate about social media is that of privacy and security.
Read: What is Telegram’s level of anonymity?
Britain’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has raised concerns about the MyAI chatbot: the app reportedly uses the context of a user’s conversation with MyAI, as well as their age and general location. , in order to offer specific advertisements.
“Messages disappearing is a privacy improvement as it removes content from the app, but it can also cause some headaches: Concerned parents will find it harder to monitor activity if messages disappear after being seen. On the other hand, the psychology behind this feature can also encourage more reckless image sharing, giving children a false sense of security and making them believe that their images will disappear without consequences. This could favor cyberbullies and adults who use the application for nefarious purposes,” comments Camilo Gutiérrez Amaya, Head of the ESET Latin America Research Laboratory.
Among the concerns that there may be about Snapchat are:
- Cyberacious: It is a problem on any social network, just as it is in the physical world. Less than a quarter (23%) of high school cyberbullying victims report the abuse to an adult. And the messages disappearing makes it even less likely that they will notify a parent or teacher.
- Inappropriate content: According to Snapchat, Stories and Spotlight content is moderated, but “some posts may contain images or captions that do not explicitly violate our Community Guidelines but contain sensitive or suggestive content.” Individual Snaps may also show images or videos that it may be preferable for little ones not to be exposed to. The risk is perhaps greater with the MyAI app, which may not understand what is “inappropriate.”
- Grooming and Sextortion: There is a minority on social networks that is not there to interact with friends and family, but to take advantage of those who make up the most vulnerable group in society. In theory, strangers could send Snaps or messages to boys and girls, and know their location since the platform’s Snap Map function allows it. A 2023 report revealed that up to 26% of grooming crimes recorded by British police took place on Snapchat. The platform has recently launched a series of new features designed to help increase protection.
- Challenges and Snapstreaks: On Snapchat there are many opportunities to play and compete, something that the little ones love. For example, when you exchange Snaps for two consecutive days, the app will track your “streak” and delete the messages after 24 hours of inactivity. This could encourage addictive behavior or excessive sharing of personal information. A 2023 study states that very frequent use of Snapchat is linked to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), anxiety and low self-esteem.
“Becoming familiar with Snapchat to have an honest conversation about what worries you is essential, and for that you need to understand the application. Establish rules and limits of use, monitor and control who are your friends on the platform and who are not. Generating mutual trust so that the little ones understand that they should notify you if they receive a friend request from someone they don’t know are the first key steps to increase network security,” advises Gutierrez Amaya from ESET Latin America.
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ESET shares Other tips so that the little ones can have fun with the application, while staying safe:
- Share with them tips on how to use social media in a way that does not negatively affect their mental health.
- Make sure they register with the correct age, so that the appropriate settings are applied by default
- Discuss what is and isn’t okay to share on the app, including personal information and appropriate content
- Explore Snapchat’s security features, including:
- In-app notices that alert teens when they receive messages from people who are not mutual friends or contacts.
- Improved blocking to prevent cyberbullying.
- Ghost mode to prevent others from seeing the location.
- Default chat features that prevent a user from messaging anyone on the platform unless they are friends.
- Report other users (press and hold Snapchat ID, select “More” and “Report”).
- Privacy settings that limit who can view the profile or contact you.
- Visit the platform’s Family Center to learn about tools and resources that will give an overview of activity on Snapchat. This will also allow the application’s Trust and Safety team to be informed of any problems.
- Create a Snapchat account and link it to the child’s account to see who they interact with, despite not being able to see the content of the messages.
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