What Parents Don’t Know About Snapchat Sexting? Here’s What Parents Need To Know
Come on. You have definitely heard about Snapchat – it’s one of the most popular social media platforms in the world today, especially among teens and youngsters. But with the increasing popularity of the platform, more and more youngsters are engaging in some harmless Snapchat sexting.
It’s mostly harmless, but it does come with certain associated risks. The platform allows users to share media (A.K.A snaps) with other users. The platform also has multiple features and trends that allow users to start snap streaks, create stories, explore memories, snap maps, and shazam.
But why has sexting on Snapchat become such a huge thing? Snapchat’s most innovative feature is the disappearing messages feature – this feature enables snaps, videos, and texts to disappear right after they have been viewed or just within 24 hours of getting viewed. Snapchat’s dedication to privacy makes it one of the best social media platforms out there, especially for sexting.
These days, teen sexting is pretty common, but there are so many consequences associated with teen sexting. As a result, it is normal for parents to worry about the safety of Snapchat.
Today, let’s check out what parents don’t know about Snapchat sexting – stay tuned to find out more!
But First, What Does Snapchat Sexting Mean?
So, what is snap sex, or rather, what does Snapchat sexting mean?
Sexting typically means sharing nudes or even messages that are sexually graphic. This can include texts, videos, and photos – and it can obviously vary from full-blown nudity and sly hints to intense videos of falsified sexual acts.
Automatically, Snapchat erases evidence of sexts from the device once the snaps get viewed – simply put, these messages get deleted once viewed.
For so many teenagers, sexting on Snapchat is a safe way to explore intimacy and their sexuality. But then there are some people who do it just for the sake of attention or even peer pressure – others look at it as a typical behavior to flit, appear cool, or even become popular.
There are several apps and websites for sexting. But the youth today prefer sexting on Snapchat since they think it’s a safe platform for obvious reasons.
But unfortunately, the vanishing message feature leads on teens to feel a mistaken sense of safety. What if we tell you that the private messages on Snapchat are not safe really?
Signs That Your Kid Is Snapchat Sexting:
If your kid is sexting on Snapchat, then you must at least be aware of the same – but that has become impossible considering how tech-savvy today’s teens are! So, it’s almost impossible to find out about your kid’s activities online.
So, here we are with the top signs that your kid is engaging in Snapchat sexting – scroll down to find out more!
1. Overprotective Of Their Mobile Device:
The first thing that, as a parent, you should notice is how overprotective your kid is acting around their phone. They are either always on their phone or using it excessively.
If they act nervous or just snatch their device away when you normally reach for it, there might be reasons to worry.
2. Being More Secretive:
The sexting Snapchat game is pretty addictive, and people are bound to start behaving little secretively as a result. It is a big red flag if your kid has suddenly become very secretive while using their phone.
Every time there’s a notification on their phones, they might just rush to their bedroom – now that’s shady.
3. New Friend Circle:
If your teen has suddenly become friends with a new circle of people that they never talked with before, then it is possible that your kid is onto something.
It’s best just to get familiar with these new friends – that way, you will know when they are hanging out and also when they aren’t hanging out.
4. Risky Behaviors:
If you can check out your kid’s accounts on different social media platforms, you might find that they have been exchanging flirty pictures with unknown people or new people in their circle.
Risky behavior and text messages on social could always suggest that they are sexting actively.
5. Spending Lots Of Time On Snapchat:
Are your kids constantly hooked to Snapchat? It could indicate that your kid is conversing with strangers on the platform and might even be engaging in certain explicit conversations.
This could also lead to changes in your kid’s sleeping patterns – are your kids waking up late and going to their bedroom really early every night?
6. Sudden Performance Drop:
Well, it is not always necessary that a drop in grades is because your child is involved in some unhealthy online activity. Sometimes there are things at home that can be the reason for it as well. But this can also be an indication of the unhealthy relationship that they have with Snapchat. It can become an issue if they fail to keep up with their other responsibilities.
7. Noticeable Change In Their Sleeping Pattern:
As I have mentioned earlier using too much Snapchat can bring a change in their sleeping pattern. They might stay awake all night for sexting and because of that, they might lack sleep at night. Keep a check and check if they are tired in the morning or energized.
How Your Child Can Be Exploited On Snapchat?
Snapchat’s parental guide says, “although [images] are designed to disappear in 10 seconds or less, there is no guarantee.”
Most people who engage in Snapchat sexting think that the recipient is the only one viewing their inappropriate snaps. Teens are usually impulsive, which basically means they will not think twice before sharing something inappropriate with someone random on social media, only to regret it later.
Plus, once it is on the internet, it is LITERALLY there forever.
Shocking cases such as the Amanda Todd case and the more recent South Korean issue, the Nth Room case, are all evidence of exactly how vulnerable kids can be – a snap shared can cause blackmail, and sometimes, even worse.
While Snapchat was meant to be used with friends, teenagers can find strangers easily on the internet. They might not even know who they are actually talking to – it’s just the username talking. And a random stranger can easily convince your kid to share sexual material. This sexual material will be simply used for blackmailing your kid later.
What To Do If Your Teenager Is Snapchat Sexting?
You can do so many things if you do find out your kid is sexting on Snapchat – of course, it is not as safe as they think. So without wasting time, here’s what you can do if you find out your kid is spending all their time on Snapchat, here’s what you can do!
1. Have A Conversation With Your Kids
It is best to have an open conversation with your teen and discuss that they are putting themselves at risk. Explain to them that anything they share on social media is not private, and that can be a means to blackmail them.
Teach them about cybercrime and cyberbullying. Let them know that the person on the other end might be a sexual predator, and there is no guarantee that they will keep this conversation private just to themselves. They might forward their images to their friends just for fun.
2. Discuss The Legal Consequences
Explain the consequences that sexting comes with. In most countries, any minors involved in sexting violate child pornography laws, and it is because the laws are vast and cover broad spectrums. For instance, federal laws of te US consider all sexual images of a minor to be child pornography. that means that the government has the power to prosecute anyone for production as well as possession.
3. Limit Accessing Their Phones
Limit their screen time. Create a schedule for them, where there will be a particular time for them to use their mobile phones. You might allow them to use it during the daytime, but not at night. Militing their access to their phones will reduce their time on social media and snapchat. This will automatically reduce their sexting time.
4. Install Parental Control Apps
If you have found out that your child is somehow involved in sexting and pornography, then it is best to monitor their social media activities. And technology has progressed a lot and has come up with various parental apps for keeping an eye on their online activities. There are applications like Fenced.ai and MMGuardian, that can be used to track their activities on their device and observe their videos, photos, and Snapchat messages.
And It’s A Wrap!
Snapchat sexting is not really going anywhere. It happens to be basic natural behavior for kids to start feeling curious and explore stuff like sexting. However, parents, at the same time, should not ignore the dangers associated with sexting. So, it’s always a better idea to introduce your children to proper sex education and the consequences of sexting or anything similar.
And it’s always a practical idea to keep track of the signs that indicate your teen is perhaps sexting on Snapchat.
If you think there are reasons to be worried, then take the steps necessary to protect your child – it is also critical to position yourself not as an enemy to your child but rather as an ally. Also, don’t trample your child’s privacy in the process. Feel free to share your thoughts, stories, and experiences related to sexting on Snapchat.
Have A Look :-
Already have an account?
Sign In
Create your account
User added successfully. Log in